[Federal Register Volume 80, Number 54 (Friday, March 20, 2015)]
[Notices]
[Page 15023]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2015-06480]



[[Page 15023]]

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DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

Coast Guard

[Docket No. USCG-2015-0174]


Commercial Fishing Vessel Engineers

AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS.

ACTION: Notice of availability.

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SUMMARY: The Coast Guard announces the availability of an updated 
policy letter entitled ``Engineer Officer Endorsements on Uninspected 
Commercial Fishing Industry Vessels.'' The letter provides guidance to 
Coast Guard officers with respect to the upcoming enforcement of 
existing requirements for the proper credentialing of engineering 
officers. Some accident investigations have found that engineers were 
not properly credentialed to serve in their assigned positions. This 
notice promotes the Coast Guard's maritime safety and stewardship 
missions.

DATES: The Coast Guard's enforcement of existing requirements for the 
proper credentialing of engineer officers on uninspected commercial 
fishing vessels begins October 15, 2015.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: For information about this document 
call or email Mr. Jack Kemerer, Coast Guard; telephone 202-372-1249, 
email [email protected]. For information about viewing or 
submitting material to the docket, call Cheryl Collins, Program 
Manager, Docket Operations, telephone 202-366-9826, toll free 1-800-
647-5527.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION:

Discussion

    Longstanding Coast Guard regulations \1\ state that an ``individual 
engaged or employed to perform the duties of chief engineer on a 
mechanically propelled, uninspected, seagoing, documented vessel of 200 
gross tons or over must hold an appropriately endorsed MMC [merchant 
mariner credential] authorizing service as a chief engineer,'' and 
that, ``An individual in charge of an engineering watch on a 
mechanically propelled, seagoing, documented vessel of 200 GRT [gross 
regulatory tons] or more, other than an individual described in Sec.  
15.820 of this subpart, must hold an appropriately endorsed license or 
MMC authorizing service as an assistant engineer.'' In October 2011, we 
issued a policy letter \2\ noting widespread non-compliance with these 
requirements among commercial fishing vessel engineers. Recognizing 
that the industry would require time to come into compliance, we set 
January 1, 2014, as the date we would begin strict enforcement of the 
regulations. In December 2013,\3\ upon learning that industry required 
still more time, we delayed that date one year to January 1, 2015. We 
are again delaying the date, to October 15, 2015, but we are preparing 
to enforce compliance beginning on that October date.
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    \1\ 46 CFR 15.820(c) and 46 CFR 15.825(a).
    \2\ Policy Letter 11-11 (CG-543 Memorandum 16700), Oct. 7, 2011, 
``Engineer Officer Endorsements on Uninspected Commercial Fishing 
Industry Vessels.''
    \3\ CGMS DTG 061640Z Dec 13, ``Engineer Officer Endorsements on 
Uninspected Commercial Fishing Vessels.''
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    We understand that strict industry-wide compliance may still not be 
practicable as of October 15, 2015. Therefore, where an owner/operator 
or company has established a training program designed to bring company 
operations into compliance with the prescribed regulations on engineer 
officer endorsements, the Officer in Charge, Marine Inspection (OCMI) 
may defer, for a specific vessel or fleet of vessels, on a case by case 
basis, strict enforcement of the provisions of the regulations beyond 
October 15, 2015. Persons seeking this consideration should submit a 
proposal to their cognizant OCMI as soon as possible but not later than 
October 15, 2015.
    This notice is issued under authority of 5 U.S.C. 552(a).

    Dated: March 12, 2015
J.C. Burton,
Captain, U.S. Coast Guard, Director of Prevention and Compliance.
[FR Doc. 2015-06480 Filed 3-19-15; 8:45 am]
 BILLING CODE 9110-04-P