Fishing vessels sent home

BOSTON – During the last two weeks of November the Coast Guard terminated the voyages of eight New England fishing vessels due to the lack of required survival and safety gear on board the vessels.

The Coast Guard is urging all boaters to ensure they have all the proper safety and survival equipment before heading out to sea. December is the beginning of the heavy weather season. Today, is a perfect example as the winds are blowing between 25 to 40 knots, the seas are expected to reach 10 to 13-feet and the water temperatures off Maine are 47 degrees and off Massachusetts 48 degrees.

“Having the proper safety and survival equipment along with the knowledge of how to use the equipment can be the difference between life and death,” said Ted Harrington, Coast Guard commercial fishing vessel safety coordinator for the Northeast. “All we have to do is look at the fishing vessel Canadian Mist which sank Nov. 3. Those fisherman are alive because they had the proper equipment on board. Safety is of the utmost importance to the Coast Guard.”

November 23, was a busy day for the Coast Guard as crews terminated the voyage of three different fishing vessels in one day. The Coast Guard Cutter Tybee boarded the fishing vessel Adventura 30 miles south of Buzzards Bay, Mass. The boarding team discovered the vessel’s liferaft was overdue for servicing, flares were expired as was the battery on the Emergency Positioning Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) on board. The vessel’s voyage was terminated and they were escorted to Newport, R.I.

Coast Guard Cutter Moray boarding team members who were onboard the fishing vessel Blythe Megan four miles south of Great Duck Island, Maine discovered there were no immersion suits on board the vessel. The vessel’s voyage was terminated and they were escorted to Bass Harbor, Maine.

Coast Guard Station Rockland boarded the fishing vessel Lauren T in the vicinity of North Haven, Maine. The boarding team discovered the fishing vessel had inadequate fire fighting equipment onboard the vessel. The vessel’s voyage was terminated and they were escorted to Rockland, Maine.

Of the eight fishing vessel’s voyages that were terminated from November 16 – 28, six of the vessels were homeported in Maine, one is homeported in Massachusetts and one in Rhode Island. To date Coast Guard crews throughout New England have terminated the voyages of 24 fishing vessel in 2004 for the lack of proper safety and survival equipment. In 2003 and 2002 the Coast Guard terminated the voyages of 22 and 25 fishing vessels respectively.

Fishing vessels sent home
Coast Guard urges safety precautions

BOSTON – During the last two weeks of November the Coast Guard terminated the voyages of eight New England fishing vessels due to the lack of required survival and safety gear on board the vessels.

The Coast Guard is urging all boaters to ensure they have all the proper safety and survival equipment before heading out to sea. December is the beginning of the heavy weather season. Today, is a perfect example as the winds are blowing between 25 to 40 knots, the seas are expected to reach 10 to 13-feet and the water temperatures off Maine are 47 degrees and off Massachusetts 48 degrees.

“Having the proper safety and survival equipment along with the knowledge of how to use the equipment can be the difference between life and death,” said Ted Harrington, Coast Guard commercial fishing vessel safety coordinator for the Northeast. “All we have to do is look at the fishing vessel Canadian Mist which sank Nov. 3. Those fisherman are alive because they had the proper equipment on board. Safety is of the utmost importance to the Coast Guard.”

November 23, was a busy day for the Coast Guard as crews terminated the voyage of three different fishing vessels in one day. The Coast Guard Cutter Tybee boarded the fishing vessel Adventura 30 miles south of Buzzards Bay, Mass. The boarding team discovered the vessel’s liferaft was overdue for servicing, flares were expired as was the battery on the Emergency Positioning Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB) on board. The vessel’s voyage was terminated and they were escorted to Newport, R.I.

Coast Guard Cutter Moray boarding team members who were onboard the fishing vessel Blythe Megan four miles south of Great Duck Island, Maine discovered there were no immersion suits on board the vessel. The vessel’s voyage was terminated and they were escorted to Bass Harbor, Maine.

Coast Guard Station Rockland boarded the fishing vessel Lauren T in the vicinity of North Haven, Maine. The boarding team discovered the fishing vessel had inadequate fire fighting equipment onboard the vessel. The vessel’s voyage was terminated and they were escorted to Rockland, Maine.

Of the eight fishing vessel’s voyages that were terminated from November 16 – 28, six of the vessels were homeported in Maine, one is homeported in Massachusetts and one in Rhode Island. To date Coast Guard crews throughout New England have terminated the voyages of 24 fishing vessel in 2004 for the lack of proper safety and survival equipment. In 2003 and 2002 the Coast Guard terminated the voyages of 22 and 25 fishing vessels respectively.