marine weather communications and marine weather requirements affecting the ships' operations. (See appendix for addresses of Port Meteorological Officers in or near the area covered by this Coast Pilot.) (62) National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS), National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Department of Commerce.-Among its functions, NESDIS archives, processes, and disseminates the nonrealtime meteorological and oceanographic data collected by Government agencies and private institutions. Marine weather observations are collected from ships at sea on a voluntary basis. About one million observations are received annually at NESDIS's National Climatic Center. They come from vessels representing every maritime nation. These observations, along with land data, are returned to the mariners in the form of climatological summaries and atlases for coastal and ocean areas. They are available in such NOAA publications as the U.S. Coast Pilots, Mariners Weather Log, and Local Climatological Data, Annual Summary. They also appear in the Defense Mapping Agency Hydrographic/Topographic Center's Pilot Charts Atlases and Sailing Directions Planning Guides. (63) Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).–The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency provides coordinated governmental action to assure the protection of the environment by abating and controlling pollution on a systematic basis. The ocean dumping permit program of the Environmental Protection Agency provides that, except when authorized by permit, the dumping of any material into the ocean is prohibited by the "Marine Protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act of 1972, Public Law 92-532," as amended (33 USC 1401 et seq.). (64) Permits for the dumping of dredged material into waters of the United States, including the territorial sea, and into ocean waters are issued by the Corps of Engineers. Permits for the dumping of fill material into waters of the United States, including the territorial sea, are also issued by the Corps of Engineers. Permits for the dumping of other material in the territorial sea and ocean waters are issued by the Environmental Protection Agency. (65) Corps of Engineers regulations relating to the above are contained in 33 CFR 323-324; Environmental Protection Agency regulations are in 40 CFR 220-229. (See Disposal Sites this chapter.) (66) Persons or organizations who want to file for an application for an ocean dumping permit should write the Environmental Protection Agency Regional Office for the region in which the port of departure is located. (See appendix for addresses of regional offices and States in the EPA coastal regions.) (67) The letter should contain the name and address of the applicant; name and address of person or firm; the name and usual location of the conveyance to be used in the transportation and dumping of the material involved; a physical description where appropriate; and the quantity to be dumped and proposed dumping site. material with explanations about why an alternative is thought by the applicant to be inappropriate. (69) Federal Communications Commission.-The Federal Communications Commission controls non-Government radio communications in the United States, Guam, Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. Commission inspectors have authority to board ships to determine whether their radio stations comply with international treaties, Federal Laws, and Commission regulations. The commission has field offices in the principal U.S. ports. (See appendix for addresses.) Information concerning ship radio regulations and service documents may be obtained from the Federal Communications Commission, Washington, D.C. 20554, or from any of the field offices. (70) Customs Service, Department of the Treasury.-The U.S. Customs Service administers certain laws relating to: entry and clearance of vessels and permits for certain vessel movements between points in the United States; prohibitions against coastwise transportation of passengers and merchandise; salvage, dredging and towing by foreign vessels; certain activities of vessels in the fishing trade; regular and special tonnage taxes on vessels; the landing and delivery of foreign merchandise (including unlading, appraisement, lighterage, drayage, warehousing, and shipment in bond); collection of customs duties, including duty on imported pleasure boats and yachts and 50+6C duty on foreign repairs to American vessels engaged in trade; customs treatment of sea and ship's stores while in port and the baggage of crewmen and passengers; illegally imported merchandise; and remission of penalties or forfeiture if customs or navigation laws have been violated. The Customs Service also cooperates with many other Federal agencies in the enforcement of statutes they are responsible for. Customs districts and ports of entry, including customs stations, are listed in the appendix. (71) The Customs Service may issue, without charge, a cruising license, valid for a period of up to 6 months and for designated U.S. waters, to a yacht of a foreign country which has a reciprocal agreement with the United States. A foreign yacht holding a cruising license may cruise in the designated U.S. waters and arrive at and depart from U.S. ports without entering or clearing at the customhouse, filing manifests, or obtaining or delivering permits to proceed, provided it does not engage in trade or violate the laws of the United States or visit a vessel not yet inspected by a Customs Agent and does, within 24 hours of arrival at each port or place in the United States, report the fact of arrival to the nearest customhouse. Countries which have reciprocal agreements granting these privileges to United States yachts are Argentina, Australia, Bahama Islands, Bermuda, Canada, Federal Republic of Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Honduras, Jamaica, Liberia, the Netherlands, and New Zealand. Further information concerning cruising licenses may be obtained from the headquarters port for the customs district in which the license is desired. U.S. yacht owners planning cruises to foreign ports may contact the nearest customs district headquarters as to customs requirements. (72) Immigration and Naturalization Service, Department of Justice.-The Immigration and Naturalization Service administers the laws relating to admission, exclusion, and deportation of aliens, the registration and fingerprinting of aliens, and the naturalization of aliens lawfully resident in the United States. (73) The designated ports of entry for aliens are divided into three classes. Class A is for all aliens. Class B is only for aliens who at the time of applying for admission are lawfully in possession of valid resident aliens' border-crossing identification cards or valid nonresident aliens' border-crossing identification cards or are admissible without documents under the documentary waivers contained in 8 CFR 212.1(a). Class C is only for aliens who are arriving in the United States as crewmen as that term is defined in Section 101(a) (10) of the Immigration and Nationality Act. (The term "crewman" means a person serving in any capacity on board a vessel or aircraft.) No person may enter the United States until he has been inspected by an immigration officer. A list of the offices covered by this Coast Pilot is given in the appendix. (74) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, Department of Agriculture.-The Agricultural Quarantine Inspection Program and Animal Health Programs of this organization are responsible for protecting the Nation's animal population, food and fiber crops, and forests from invasion by foreign pests. They administer agricultural quarantine and restrictive orders issued under authority provided in various acts of Congress. The regulations prohibit or restrict the importation or interstate movements of live animals, meats, animal products, plants, plant products, soil, injurious insects, and associated items that may introduce or spread plant pests and animal diseases which may be new to or not widely distributed within the United States or its territories. Inspectors examine imports at ports of entry as well as the vessel, its stores, and crew or passenger baggage. (76) Public Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services.-The Public Health Service administers foreign quarantine procedures at U.S. ports of entry. (77) All vessels arriving in the United States are subject to public health inspection. Vessels subject to routine boarding for quarantine inspection are only those which have had on board during the 15 days preceding the date of expected arrival or during the period since departure (whichever period of time is shorter) the occurrence of any death or ill person among passengers or crew (including those who have disembarked or have been removed). The master of a vessel must report such occurrences immediately by radio to the quarantine station at or nearest the port at which the vessel will arrive. (78) In addition, the master of a vessel carrying 13 or more passengers must report by radio 24 hours before arrival the number of cases (including zero) of diarrhea in passengers and crew recorded in the ship's medical log during the current cruise. All cases that occur after the 24 hour report must also be reported not less than 4 hours before arrival. (83) Specific public health laws, regulations, policies, and procedures may be obtained by contacting U.S. Quarantine Stations, U.S. Consulates or the Chief Program Operations, Division of Quarantine, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta, Ga, 30333. (See appendix for addresses of U.S. Public Health Service Quarantine Stations.) (84) Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Public Health Service, Department of Health and Human Services.-Under the provisions of the Control of Communicable Diseases Regulations (21 CFR 1240) and Interstate Conveyance Sanitation Regulations (21 CFR 1250), vessel companies operating in interstate traffic shall obtain potable water for drinking and culinary purposes only at watering points found acceptable to the Food and Drug Administration. Water supplies used in watering point operations must also be inspected to determine compliance with applicable Interstate Quarantine Regulations (42 CFR 72). These regulations are based on authority contained in the Public Health Service Act (PL 78-410). Penalties for violation of any regulation prescribed under authority of the Act are provided for under Section 368 (42 USC 271) of the Act. (85) Vessel Watering Points.-FDA annually publishes a list of Acceptable Vessel Watering Points. This list is available from most FDA offices or from Interstate Travel Sanitation Subprogram Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, FDA (HFF-312), 200 C Street SW., Washington, D.C. 20204. Current status of watering points can be ascertained by contacting any FDA office. (See appendix for addresses.) DISTRESS SIGNALS AND COMMUNICATION PROCEDURES (86) Coast Guard search and rescue operations.-The Coast Guard conducts and/or coordinates search and rescue operations for surface vessels or aircraft that are in distress or overdue. Search and Rescue vessels and aircraft have special markings, including a wide slash of red-orange and a small slash of blue on the forward portion of the hull or fuselage. Other parts of aircraft, normally painted white, may have other areas painted red to facilitate observation. The cooperation of vessel operators with Coast Guard helicopters, fixed-wing aircraft, and vessels may mean the difference between life and death for some seaman or aviator; such cooperation is greatly facilitated by the prior knowledge on the part of vessel operators of the operational requirements of Coast Guard equipment and personnel, of the international distress signals and procedures, and of good seamanship. (104) Radio distress procedures.-Distress calls in the Great Lakes are made on channel 16 (156.80 MHz) VHF-FM (MAYDAY) for radiotelephony. For less serious situations than warrant the distress procedure, the urgency signal PAN-PAN (PAHNPAHN, spoken three times) or the safety signal SECURITY (SAYCURITAY, spoken three times) are used as appropriate. For complete information on emergency radio procedures, see 47 CFR 83 or DMAHTC Pub. 117. (See appendix for a list of Coast Guard Stations which guard 156.80 MHz.) Complete information on distress guards can be obtained from Coast Guard District Commanders. (105) Distress calls indicate a vessel or aircraft is threatened by grave and imminent danger and requests immediate assistance. They have absolute priority over all other transmissions. All stations which hear a distress call must immediately cease any transmission capable of interfering with the distress traffic and shall continue to listen on the frequency used for the emission of the distress call. This call shall not be addressed to a particular station, and acknowledgement of receipt shall not be given before the distress message which follows it is sent. (106) Radiotelephone distress communications include the following actions: (107) (1) The radiotelephone alarm signal (if available): The signal consists of two audio tones, of different pitch, transmitted alternately; its purpose is to attract the attention of persons on radio watch or to actuate automatic alarm devices. It may only be used to announce that a distress call or message is about to follow. (108) (2) The distress call, consisting of: (109) the distress signal MAYDAY (spoken three times); (110) the words THIS IS (spoken once); (111) the call sign or name of the vessel in distress (spoken three times). (112) (3) The distress message follows immediately and consists of: (113) the distress signal MAYDAY; (114) the call sign and name of the vessel in distress; particulars of its position (latitude and longitude, or true bearing and distance from a known geographical position); (115) the nature of the distress; (116) the kind of assistance desired; (117) the number of persons aboard and the condition of any injured; (118) present seaworthiness of vessel; (119) description of the vessel (length; type; cabin; masts; power; color of hull, superstructure, trim; etc.); (120) any other information which might facilitate the rescue, such as display of a surface-to-air identification signal or a radar reflector; (121) your listening frequency and schedule; (122) THIS IS (call sign and name of vessel in distress). OVER. (123) (4) Acknowledgement of receipt of a distress message: If a distress message is received from a vessel which is definitely in your vicinity, immediately acknowledge receipt. If it is not in your vicinity, allow a short interval of time to elapse before acknowledging, in order to permit vessels nearer to the vessel in distress to acknowledge receipt without interference. However, in areas where reliable communications with one or more shore stations are practicable, all vessels may defer this acknowledgement for a short interval so that a shore station may acknowledge receipt first. The acknowledgement of receipt of a distress is given as follows: (124) the call sign or name of the vessel sending the distress (spoken three times); (125) the words THIS IS; (126) the call sign or name of acknowledging vessel (spoken three times); (127) The words RECEIVED MAYDAY. (128) After the above acknowledgement, allow a momentary interval of listening to ensure that you will not interfere with another vessel better situated to render immediate assistance; if not, with the authority of the person in charge of the vessel, transmit: (129) the word MAYDAY: (130) the call sign and name of distressed vessel; (131) the words THIS IS; (132) the call sign and name of your vessel; (133) your position (latitude and longitude, or true bearing and distance from a known geographical position); (134) the speed you are proceeding towards, and the approximate time it will take to reach, the distressed vessel. OVER (135) (5) Further distress messages and other communications: Distress communications consist of all messages relating to the immediate assistance required by the distressed vessel. Each distress communication shall be preceded by the signal MAYDAY. The vessel in distress or the station in control of distress communications may impose silence on any station which interferes. The procedure is: the words SEELONCE MAYDAY (Seelonce is French for silence). Silence also may be imposed by nearby mobile stations other than the vessel in distress or the station in control of distress communications. The mobile station which believes that silence is essential may request silence by the following procedure: the word SEELONCE, followed by the word DISTRESS, and its own call sign. (136) (6) Transmission of the distress procedure by a vessel or shore station not itself in distress: A vessel or a shore station which learns that a vessel is in distress shall transmit a distress message in any of the following cases: (137) (a) When the vessel in distress is not itself able to transmit the distress message. (138) (b) When a vessel or a shore station considers that further help is necessary. (139) (c) When, although not in a position to render assistance, it has heard a distress message that has not been acknowledged. (140) In these cases, the transmission shall consist of: (141) the radiotelephone alarm signal (if available); (142) the words MAYDAY RELAY (spoken three times); (143) the words THIS IS; (144) the call sign and name of vessel (or shore station), spoken three times. (145) When a vessel transmits a distress under these conditions, it shall take all necessary steps to contact the Coast Guard or a shore station which can notify the Coast Guard. (146) (7) Termination of distress: When distress traffic has ceased, or when silence is no longer necessary on the frequency used for the distress traffic, the station in control shall transmit on that frequency a message to all stations as follows: (147) the distress signal MAYDAY; (148) the call TO ALL STATIONS, spoken three times; (149) the words THIS IS; (150) the call sign and name of the station sending the message; (151) the time; (152) the name and call sign of the vessel in distress; (153) the words SEELONCE FEENEE (French for silence finished). (156) (i) Satellite detection range is limited for these EPIRBs (satellites must be within line of sight of both the EPIRB and a ground terminal for detection to occur) (see Chart), (157) (ii) EPIRB design and frequency congestion cause these devices to be subject to a high false alert/false alarm rate (over 99%); consequently, confirmation is required before search and rescue forces can be deployed, (158) (iii) EPIRBs manufactured before October 1989 may have design or construction problems (e.g. some models will leak and cease operating when immersed in water), or may not be detectable by satellite. (159) Class C EPIRBS. These are manually activated devices intended for pleasure craft who do not venture far offshore and for vessels on the Great Lakes. They transmit a short burst on VHFFM channel 16 and a longer homing signal on channel 15. Their usefulness depends upon a coast station or another vessel guarding channel 16 and recognizing the brief, recurring tone as an EPIRB. Class C EPIRBs are not recognized outside of the United States. (160) New class C EPIRB stations will not be authorized after February 1, 1995. Class C EPIRB stations installed on board vessels before February 1, 1995, may be used until February 1, 1999, and not thereafter. (161) 406 MHz EPIRBs.-The 406 MHz EPIRB was designed to operate with satellites. Its signal allows a satellite local user terminal to accurately locate the EPIRB (much more accurately than 121.5/243 MHz devices), and identify the vessel (the signal is encoded with the vessel's identity) anywhere in the world (there is no range limitation). These devices also include a 121.5 MHz homing signal, allowing aircraft and rescue craft to quickly find the vessel in distress. These are the only type of EPIRB which must be certified by Coast Guard approved independent laboratories before they can be sold in the United States. (162) All 406 MHz EPIRBs must be registered with NOAA. If you change your boat, your address or your phone number, you must re-register your EPIRB with NOAA. Request 406 MHz EPIRB registration forms from; and mail or fax completed forms to: (163) NOAA/NESDIS (164) SARSAT Operations Division, E/SP3 (165) Federal Office Building 4 (166) Washington, DC 20233 (167) For further information on registering these EPIRBs call (301) 763-4680 or fax (301)568-8649. (168) An automatically activated, float-free version of this EPIRB will be required on Safety of Life at Sea Convention vessels (passenger ships and ships over 300 tons, on international voyages) of any nationality by 1 August 1993. The Coast Guard requires U.S. commercial fishing vessels carry this device (by May 1990, unless they carry an Class A EPIRB), and will require the same for other U.S. commercial uninspected vessels which travel more than 3 miles offshore. (169) The COSPAS-SARSAT system.-COSPAS: Space System for Search of Distress Vessels (a Russian acronym); SARSAT: Search and Rescue Satellite-Aided Tracking. COSPAS-SARSAT is an international satellite-based search and rescue system established by the U.S., Russia, Canada and France to locate emergency radio beacons transmitting on the frequencies 121.5, 243 and 406 MHz. Since its inception only a few years ago, COSPASSARSAT has contributed to the saving of 1240 lives (as of June 6, 1989), 554 of these mariners. The Coast Guard operates two local user terminals, satellite earth stations designed to receive EPIRB distress calls forwarded from COSPAS-SARSAT satellites, located in Kodiak, Alaska and Point Reyes, California. The Air Force operates a third terminal at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. (170) Testing EPIRBS.-The Coast Guard urges those owning EPIRBs to periodically examine them for water tightness, battery expiration date and signal presence. FCC rules allow Class A, B, and S EPIRBS to be turned on briefly (for three audio sweeps, or one second only) during the first five minutes of each hour. Signal presence can be detected by an FM radio tuned to 99.5 MHz, or an AM radio tuned to any vacant frequency and located close to an |