USCG allows manning exemption for US Flagged Purse Seiners to expire

Maritime News
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Beginning July 12, 2010, the Coast Guard will enforce the manning requirements of 46 United States Code 8104, as implemented by 46 Code of Federal Regulations Part 15 - Manning Requirements. Vessels 200 gross tons and over, are required to have a U. S. licensed master, a U.S. licensed mate in charge of the maneuvering and navigation watch, and if an individual is employed to perform chief engineer duties, that individual must have an appropriate U.S. license authorizing service as a chief engineer.

Please see attached pdf file for the details.

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Vessels 200 gross tons and over. most seiners are way smaller than that! Another loop hole like Tug Boats.

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[QUOTE=Boatahaulic;39669]Vessels 200 gross tons and over. most seiners are way smaller than that! Another loop hole like Tug Boats.[/QUOTE]

The seiners that this exemption applied to are all over 1000 tons. The one I was on was 1172 tons. This exemption was for the 36 vessels collectively known as the “distant waters tuna fleet”.

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So a bunch of Mate and Engineer jobs should have opened-up on July 12th?

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[QUOTE=Jeffrox;39758]So a bunch of Mate and Engineer jobs should have opened-up on July 12th?[/QUOTE]

Yep. I think Kelly Sweeney might have some info.

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Technically, the Coast Guard did not eliminate the exemption. The statutory exemption was granted to certain U.S. purse seine fishing vessels, as set forth in Section 421 of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-241 [CGMTA]). It was temporary and expired on July 11, 2010. The Coast Guard has statutory authority to waive certain citizenship requirements, but generally it requires a showing that US mariners are not available.

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[QUOTE=DVanNevel;39787]Technically, the Coast Guard did not eliminate the exemption. The statutory exemption was granted to certain U.S. purse seine fishing vessels, as set forth in Section 421 of the Coast Guard and Maritime Transportation Act of 2006 (P.L. 109-241 [CGMTA]). It was temporary and expired on July 11, 2010. The Coast Guard has statutory authority to waive certain citizenship requirements, but generally it requires a showing that US mariners are not available.[/QUOTE]

Good catch. Thanks for the clarification. I’ve changed the thread title to better describe what the USCG chose to do.