[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 12 (Tuesday, January 20, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Pages 2722-2723]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-00798]
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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY
Coast Guard
[Docket No. USCG-2015-0002]
Declaration of Sea Area A1
ACTION: Notice.
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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard is declaring Sea Area A1 in certain areas off
the coast of the United States based upon the performance of the Coast
Guard's
[[Page 2723]]
Rescue 21 System, and in accordance with applicable provisions of the
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS).
The Coast Guard defines Sea Area A1 as those areas where more than
ninety percent of the area within 20 nautical miles seaward of the
territorial baseline along the East, West and Gulf Coasts of the United
States, excluding Alaska, and including Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, the
Virgin Islands of the United States, and the Northern Mariana Islands
of Saipan, Tinian, and Rota, is within coverage of Coast Guard very
high frequency (VHF) Coast Stations that provide both a continuous
watch for Digital Selective Calling (DSC) distress alerts on Channel 70
and a capability to respond to distress alerts.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For questions on this Notice, contact
Robert F. Salmon, telephone: 202-475-3537; email:
[email protected].
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Rescue 21 is the Coast Guard's advanced
command, control and direction-finding communications system that was
created to better locate mariners in distress. By harnessing state-of-
the-market technology, Rescue 21 enables the Coast Guard to execute its
search and rescue missions with greater agility and efficiency which
helps to save lives and property at sea and on navigable rivers. The
Coast Guard's Rescue 21 system is comprised of strategically placed VHF
Coast Stations that provide a continuous watch on DSC Channel 70 for
receiving, and responding to, digital distress alerts.
In accordance with Chapter IV, Regulation 2 of the International
Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS), ``Sea Area A1
means an area within the radiotelephone coverage of at least one VHF
Coast Station in which continuous Digital Selective Calling (DSC)
alerting is available, as may be defined by a Contracting Government.''
International Maritime Organization (IMO) Resolution A. 801(19), which
is cited in Chapter IV, Regulation 2, further provides that stations
participating in VHF DSC watchkeeping in the Global Maritime Distress
and Safety System (GMDSS) should provide as complete a coverage of the
Sea Area A1 as is possible.
The performance of the currently built-out Rescue 21 system
demonstrates that it provides coverage over more than 90 percent of
those areas within 20 nautical miles seaward of the territorial
baseline along the East, West, and Gulf coasts of the United States,
excluding Alaska, and including Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin
Islands of the United States, and the Northern Mariana Islands of
Saipan, Tinian, and Rota. Based upon the demonstrated coverage and
performance of the Rescue 21 System, and upon the applicable
requirements of SOLAS, the Coast Guard is declaring as Sea Area A1
those areas within 20 nautical miles seaward of the territorial
baseline along the East, West, and Gulf coasts of the United States,
excluding Alaska, and including Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Guam, the Virgin
Islands of the United States, and the Northern Mariana Islands of
Saipan, Tinian, and Rota.
While not related to Sea Area A1, the Coast Guard would like to
inform mariners that the Rescue 21 System also provides VHF Coast
Stations along the Great Lakes so that continuous DSC alerting is
available within 20 nautical miles offshore from more than 90 percent
of U.S. locations along the Great Lakes. The Coast Guard is also
building Rescue 21 facilities along the Western Rivers and in Alaska.
The Coast Guard would like to take this opportunity to remind
mariners that no radiocommunications system can guaranty 100 percent
coverage or 100 percent availability because of the vagaries of radio
propagation and equipment performance. The Coast Guard urges all
mariners to be sure that they have obtained and are using a proper
Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI), and that their DSC radios are
connected to Global Positioning System (GPS) devices (if the DSC radio
does not have built-in GPS). Assuring that a DSC alert is accompanied
by both a properly registered MMSI and a GPS location significantly
enhances and expedites search and rescue efforts.
It should be noted that this Declaration designating specified
areas as Sea Area A1 will trigger certain radio carriage provisions of
the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Maritime Radio Service
Rules and Regulations (47 CFR 80.1 et seq.). It is expected that the
FCC will be issuing a Public Notice providing the details of specific
vessel radio carriage requirements.
Authority: This notice is issued under authority of 14 U.S.C.
93(a)(16) and 5 U.S.C. 552(a).
Dated: January 9, 2015.
Glenn C. Hernandez,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Chief, Office of Information Assurance and
Spectrum Policy. Commandant (CG-65)
[FR Doc. 2015-00798 Filed 1-16-15; 8:45 am]
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