Communications gap

Mike Kenealy suddenly found himself in big trouble the summer before last as he cruised into a natural-gas tanker restricted zone in Boston Harbor. A Coast Guard helicopter launched in response to his violation--gunner at the door, and patrol boats, blue lights flashing and sirens screaming--converged on Kenealy. "I was scared to death," says the 56-year-old real estate agent who goes boating to relax and who shared this incident with The Wall Street Journal in August of 2002.

"Our greatest fear is the boater who gets into trouble (in a security zone) doesn't even know what he's doing wrong, prompting a deadly response by harbor security," said Capt. Scott Evans, the Coast Guard's Chief of Boating Safety.

Those responsible for security in the Coast Guard have watched as terrorists have used small boats to attack the shipping port in Iraq and a U.S warship in the Middle East.

Closer to home, the fear of an explosion of one natural gas tanker, devastating downtown Boston, prompted mayor Thomas Menino to ask the Captain of the Port to ban these giant ships. The captain refused, but set up stringent restrictions around them from the time they enter the port till they depart. It was into this restricted area that Kenealy had wandered.

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The Coast Guard has established many more regulated and restricted zones since the incident in Boston Harbor, publishing them in the Federal Register and in Local Notices to Mariners. Unfortunately, neither of these publications is well read by the majority of recreational boaters.

Last fall BoatU.S. urged the recreational boating community to provide more input and become involved with local Captain of the Port Area Maritime Security Advisory Committees (AMSAC). But, much more now needs to be done to communicate the decisions of these committees to the boaters.

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A review of Coast Guard outreach efforts by BoatU.S. finds that most Coast Guard's Captains of the Port (COTP) communicate little information to the average boater about specific port and waterway security issues. Although the COTPs maintain Web sites to inform the public, many of them are difficult to navigate and woefully out of date. BoatU.S. believes it is crucial that these sites have current information to keep recreational boaters aware of security restrictions.

Shining Example

One exception is the port of Tampa Bay, FL. Its Web site provides a Tampa Bay Security Zone Map--including a downloadable map. Boaters can print this map and take it with them as a ready reference of restricted zones. Any boater in the Tampa port area that wants to get this map can go to the BoatU.S. Government Affairs site at BoatUS.com/gov and click on the "Captain of the Port Tampa Bay" link.

For example, Tampa fishermen should be aware that there is a 100-foot security zone extending around the Sunshine Skyway Bridge. This notice, plus more security information, can be learned by downloading the "Boaters' Guide to the Permanent Restricted Areas, Safety & Security Zones in Tampa Bay as Enforced by Local, State and Federal Authorities."

BoatU.S. recommends that all Captains of the Port take a look at Tampa's site, that local Group stations make periodic broadcasts, alert boaters in the local area to security zones on Channel 16, and that the Coast Guard also coordinate with NOAA's National Ocean Service to have permanent security zones added to waterway charts.

Numerous Watch Programs

In addition, in a recent letter to the Coast Guard Commandant and Captains of the Port, BoatU.S. noted a significant lack of procedural uniformity for boaters wishing to report suspicious activity on the water. By our count, there are 11 different security awareness programs that have been set up by various Captains of the Ports. BoatU.S. is concerned that the different waterways watch reporting procedures could cause confusion for boaters calling in suspicious activities.

"We are promoting America's Waterways Watch as the national program, but will still allow the captains to keep their own programs," said Capt. Tony Regalbuto, Chief of the Coast Guard's Port Security Policy Directorate. "Our concept is for domain awareness to be locally focused, but nationally connected."

Capt. Regalbuto said that his staff has been working for a year to develop the America's Waterways Watch program--consisting of wallet cards, decals, brochures, posters, a banner, and Web page. "We would like to have BoatU.S. spread the word among its large membership about our watch program. We also have sent word to all commands and civilian organizations, so that they can order America's Waterways Watch material," said Chief Petty Officer Penny Collins, who can be contacted by e-mail at pcollins@comdt.uscg.mil, to obtain these materials.

COPYRIGHT 2004 Boat Owners Assn.
COPYRIGHT 2004 Gale Group