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Safety Requirements
Observer Harassment
HARASSMENT OF AN OBSERVER WILL NOT BE TOLERATED. Violators are subject to Civil and/or Criminal Penalties up to $130,000 and 6 months imprisonment under the Magnuson Act and $20,000 and 1 year imprisonment under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. It is unlawful to:
- Intimidate, resist, oppose, impede, sexually harass, bribe, or interfere with an observer.
- Interfere with or bias the sampling procedure employed by an observer.
- Tamper with, destroy, or discard an observer's collected samples, equipment, records, photos, papers, or personal effects.
- Prohibit or bar by command, impediment, threat, coercion, or by refusal of reasonable assistance, an observer from performing duties.
- Harass an observer by conduct that has sexual connotations, or otherwise creates an intimidating, hostile, or offensive environment.
- Require, pressure, coerce, or threaten an observer to perform crew member duties.
Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Examination Requirement
As of May 1, 2006, all federally permitted fishing vessels and/or those participating in Category 1 or Category II fisheries under the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) that require mandatory observer coverage will be required to successfully complete the Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Examination and display a current safety decal.
Vessels that fail to satisfy the new safety requirement will be deemed unsafe for purposes of carrying an observer onboard and will be prohibited from fishing. If the vessel fishes without correcting the safety deficiency, NOAA Fisheries Service or the U.S. Coast Guard may take enforcement action.
Call today to schedule your free dockside safety examination
- Portland ME (207) 780-3256
- Boston MA (617) 223-3045
- Providence RI & Cape Cod (508) 999-0072
- Long Island Sound (CT, NY) (203) 468-4437
- Baltimore MD (410) 576-2526
- Hampton Roads VA(757) 668-5535
- Philadelphia PA(215) 271-4852
- Wilmington NC (910) 772-2231
- Atlantic Beach NC (252) 247-4562
Observer Safety Program
Our safety training has been designed and reviewed with consultation from the Alaska Marine Safety Education (AMSEA) program. Our safety trainers have been certified through this program. AMSEA is a nonprofit corporation dedicated to developing and supporting a cold water safety information and training network. The network has expanded from its beginning in Alaska to instructors on all four US coastlines. They provide training for safety instructors as well as commercial fishermen.
Our observer and At-Sea Monitoring Training is provided by McMillan Offshore Survival Training (MOST). MOST is a safety and survival training company who also offers training for commercial fishermen.
Additional Information
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(File Modified Jan. 30 2013)
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