P a ge 17 t opside V olume 114 , I s s u e 1
Division 7 Commercial Fishing Vessel Examiner ( CFVSE ) Program by Maurice Kiely
Commercial Fishing is one of the most dangerous occupations in the world . Each year many fishermen and women are lost . To mitigate the danger , the US Coast Guard , in conjunction with other federal agencies , enforce regulations relating to fishing vessel safety . Along the New Jersey Coast , we have a variety of fisheries harvested by crews on scallop , clam , gill net and long liner vessels , among others , operating in both warm water and cold water environments .
The Coast Guard Authorization Act of 2010 changes the requirements for examinations from voluntary to mandatory for the majority of commercial fishing vessels . The Act increases the requirements for safe practices , safety equipment , and for drills and emergency equipment and procedures . While responsibility for commercial fishing vessel safety continues to rest with the boat owners and operators , the Coast Guard and the Auxiliary provide increased oversight of safety practices and regulatory compliance .
Nationally , the Auxiliary has 191 qualified CFVSE ’ s , and 7 of the 18 in our District are from Division 7 . They are ;
Pat Ditomasso , 7-9 , Dave Hellmuth , 7-9 , Maurice Kiely , 7-9 , Tom Piascik , 7-9 , Joe Smith , 7-11 , Wally Wubbenhorst , 7-2 , Larry Yaskulka , 7-9 . We report thru the ADSO for Marine Safety CVSE ( Joe Smith 7-11 ) and DSO for Marine Safety Laurie Huselton 7-11 ). We all receive guidance and training from CG CFVSE coordinators from Sector Delaware Bay Bob Heffner and Erich Solbach .
These D7 examiners focus mainly on the fishing vessel fleets located in Barnegat Light and the vicinity , but also often participate in exams in Pt . Pleasant Beach , Atlantic City , Cape May , and Port Norris . Our mission is not enforcement as that is the job of the CG boarding teams , who in addition to safety regulations also are examining adherence to US Fisheries regulations and licensing . Our job is to examine the vessel while docked , and based on vessel and crew size , verify that approximately 100 safety requirements are met . In some cases , if the vessel owner waits too long , he may be faced with not being able to legally go fishing until he passes an examination . Normally , we schedule the vessel exams in advance so that any deficiencies we find can be corrected and re-examined within 30 days to not interfere with commerce of the vessel .
Examples of items inspected ;
1 . Sufficient number of cold water immersion suits in good condition , with proper emergency gear attached for detection from the air .
2 . A life raft sufficient for the size of the crew , recently inspected and properly attached to the vessel to be float free and automatically inflated if the vessel sinks .
3 . Proper navigation and fishing lights , day shapes , and sound producing devices .
4 . An EPIRB currently registered with NOAA , tested on site , and positioned properly on the outside of the vessel to deploy manually or in a float free manner .
5 . Proper navigation publications , charts , and communication equipment .
6 . Engine room fire safety , guards for exposed hazards , high water and emergency alarms , bilge piping , dewatering equipment , cleanliness , and clutter free emergency exits .
7 . Proper stability and oil transfer procedures Continued on the next page ...