- 13th Coast Guard District
- Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Home
- Dockside Examinations
- Regulations and References
- Law Enforcement and Voyage Terminations
- Alternate Compliance and Safety Agreement
- Casualties in our District
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Commander
13th Coast Guard District
915 Second Ave
Seattle, WA 98176
FishSafeWest
A web site for Commercial Fishing Vessel Owners and Operators
- Dockside_Examinations
- Regulations_and_References
- Law_Enforcement_and_Voyage_Terminations
- Alternate_Compliance_and_Safety_Agreement_(ACSA)
- Casualties_in_our_District
- Information_and_Training
- Glossary_of_Terms
Coast Guard Dockside Examination Program
Welcome the the Pacific Northwest Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Dockside Examination Program page.
For most vessels Coast Guard Dockside Examinations are not currently Mandatory
Compliance with the fishing vessel safety regulations while fishing is mandatory. Use the checklist generator below to genearate a list of times that are required for you vessel below.
Mandatory Dockside Safety Exams will be required for all vessels that operate 3nm beyond the Territorial Sea baseline (marked on most nautical charts) and must be completed by Oct 15, 2015.
Due to a change by Congress exams are not required now, but must be completed prior Oct 15, 2015 for all commercial fishing vessels that operate beyond 3 miles off shore. View Coast Guard letter to the fishing industry.
Remember that although you are not required to get an exam, your vessel is still required to have all of the required equipment on board. If your vessel is boarded at sea, you will be checked for all of the required equipment. A volunatary dockside exam is a good way to ensure your vessel has all of the required equipment.
Preparing for your Dockside Exam anywhere in the US
1. What equipment do I need on my boat? Use our Commercial Fishing Vessel Checklist Generator to see what equipment your vessel is required to have. Print out a checklist and any of the item detail checklists you want.
Launch the Checklist Generator
You must have the free Adobe's Flash Player installed to run this application.
You must have the free Adobe Reader installed to view the item details screens and to view the regulations.NOTE - The checklist generator determines the applicability of current regulations based on your answers to the questions. Each Coast Guard District has the authority to and may have granted certain exemptions of the safety equipment requirements. You can check with a District Fishing Vessel Safety Coordinator in your area.
2. Use the checklists to examine your vessel ensuring you have all of the required equipment and that everything is in serviceable condition.
3. Call to schedule a dockside exam. Call your nearest Coast Guard Dockside Examiner to schedule a visit to your vessel to conduct the exam. If your vessel has all of the required servicable equipment you will be issued a decal and written documentation that your vessel has passed the exam. The exam is valid for two years.
4. Keep equipment in satisfactory condition. During the two year period keep track of all equipment condition and expiration and servicing dates... Failing to keep your equipment in servicable condition for the two year period will void your exam documentation.
FEEDBACK...If you find any problems with the Checklist Generator please e-mail me at daniel.e.hardin@uscg.mil. Please describe the vessel information you input and the problem you found. If this was useful, or you have any recommended changes to make it better please let me know.
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