Offshore Fishing Procedure for Approaching a Rig
Thousands of fishing vessels operate off the coasts surrounding the United States. Whether a fishing vessel is used for recreational or commercial fishing, there are procedures and regulations that must be observed when it is approaching an offshore rig. Each type of rig has federal regulations dictating the safety zones that fishing vessels must maintain.
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Hailing
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Anytime an offshore fishing vessel approaches a rig, the captain of the vessel should hail or radio the rig. Although this is not a regulation, it is an unwritten rule observed by most captains as a maritime courtesy. This is important so that rig personnel can inform the captain of any special requirements. Many companies that operate offshore rigs have rules governing fishing around their platforms.
Safety Zone
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Federal regulations establish a 500-meter safety zone around most offshore rigs for all vessels, including fishing vessels. Each vessel fishing in the vicinity of a rig must maintain this distance for safety reasons. The oceans surrounding the United States are broken up into different districts or regions. Each district is assigned a Coast Guard commander. Once an offshore rig is moved into a district, the commander establishes and enforces a safety zone around the rig.
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Exceptions
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Each safety zone regulation has exceptions that pertain to the size of the vessel. According to federal regulations, any attending vessel, such as a supply ship, is not limited to this safety zone. Also, a fishing vessel that is less than 100 meters long does not have to observe the safety zone. However, if you are towing another vessel for any reason, even if your vessel is less than 100 meters in length, you must observe the safety zone.
Notifications
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Anytime the Coast Guard commander establishes a safety zone for an offshore rig, he or she will publish the rule in the Federal Register, which is available to all vessel captains. The commander will also publish the safety zone regulations in local newspapers to ensure that every mariner operating in those waters has access to the safety zone rules.
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References
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