US Coast Guard, encompasses the Oregon and Washington coast, have been conducting vessel safety spot checks and voluntary dockside exams in various Northwest ports this week prior to the opening of the Dungeness crab fishery. According to Dan Hardin, 13th Coast Guard District fishing vessel safety coordinator, a four-person team has been conducting spot safety checks in the Newport area, inspecting 29 vessels on Monday.
Hardin informed that they have got marine safety experts out of the sector office in Portland who are conducting checks in the Newport area. He also said that they are marine prevention folks, while response personnel staff the stations. Teams covering the entire Pacific Northwest coast conducted 115 spot checks on Monday, opined Hardin.
Hardin told that the USCG would prefer to conduct these safety checks at the dock where they are more convenient and safer for all concerned, but it is their intention to examine all vessels. Those that are not checked at the dock will be checked underway. The team of USCG found some problems Monday, including expired life rafts, EPIRBs that were not registered or had expired, as well as other EPIRB issues.
It is informed that the team will be conducting checks until [Wednesday] and will check back with the vessels that had problems. Hardin said conditions that might cause a vessel to be kept in port include nonfunctioning life rafts and serious EPIRBs issues. He also said that vessels can work with local Coast Guard stations to resolve issues after the safety team departs on Wednesday.
In addition to this Coast Guard fishing vessel safety personnel are also available to conduct basic safety training, as well as voluntary dockside safety examinations for interested vessels.
