[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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