Congressman Barney Frank - Representing the 4th District of Massachusetts

Congressman Barney Frank today urged the Coast Guard to improve the Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) technology, used to track commercial fishing boats, in order to improve safety within the fishing industry. In a letter he sent today to Coast Guard Commandant Thad Allen, Frank urged the agency to “begin the process of determining whatever improvements are necessary to enable VMS technology to be used reliably for safety, and to take the necessary steps to implement those changes as soon as possible.”

VMS is used mainly to determine whether fishing boats are operating in areas where they are legally entitled to fish. But, fishermen have long called for the technology to also be used as a method for helping determine the location of vessels in emergency situations. When the fishing vessel Patriot sank recently with the tragic loss of its two man crew, VMS was employed in the rescue effort, but in this case the technology and procedures for using the system were found to have flaws.

A copy of Frank’s letter is attached.

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January 14, 2009

Admiral Thad Allen
Commandant
United States Coast Guard
2100 Second Street, S.W.
Washington, DC 20593

Dear Admiral Allen:

I am writing to urge you to initiate immediately an effort to ensure that Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) technology can be used reliably for safety purposes in emergency situations involving commercial fishermen. The gaps in the existing capability to track vessels in emergency situations or adverse weather conditions have long been evident, and the recent tragic sinking of the Patriot with the loss of its two man crew makes it clear in my view that we need to take action to expand the safety applications of VMS as soon as possible. As you may be aware, the Coast Guard did attempt to use VMS in the Patriot rescue attempts, but it was not as effective as it could have been.

The potential use of VMS for safety as well as enforcement purposes has been raised repeatedly by fishermen. In fact, this idea was discussed by industry representatives and Coast Guard representatives at the public fishing safety forum I convened in New Bedford in March 2007. During the discussion, Coast Guard officials suggested that the technology and procedures governing the use of VMS might need some refinements before it could be reliably used for safety purposes. Following that meeting, I proposed that the Coast Guard expand its research efforts to begin focusing specifically on safety issues, including the potential use of VMS. Subsequently, at my request, language along those lines was incorporated into the House version of the Coast Guard Reauthorization legislation (H.R. 2830), which was approved by the House last year. Unfortunately, that bill was not voted on by the Senate. I will be pushing for the inclusion of similar legislation in the new version of the Coast Guard bill, and I am confident that this proposal will be enacted into law But, given the serious nature of this problem, as evidenced by the rescue efforts involving the Patriot, I am convinced that the Coast Guard should not wait for passage of the bill to begin taking action in this important area.

As someone who has for a number of years been working for adoption of federal fishery policies that to the extent possible promote safety within the industry, I am aware that the dangers cannot be completely eliminated. However, it is incumbent on those of us who have some role in helping to supervise fisheries to do all that we can to make the industry safer. Expanding the use of VMS so that it is a reliable safety tool has the potential to play a major role in helping to achieve that goal. Again, I urge you to begin the process of determining whatever improvements may be necessary to enable VMS technology to be used reliably for safety, and to take the necessary steps to implement those changes as soon as possible.

Thank you for your attention to this matter. I look forward to your response.

BARNEY FRANK