Here's a release I got from the USCG recently. Think about it if you are tempted to take a bunch of "non-fishing buddies" or non-family members out for a day on the lake. I know I was occasionally approached before I got my license by casual acquaintances to take them or their visiting families out on the lake for a day. "We'll pay you, XXX dollars for gas or other commenserations." It's a gray area, for sure, but if you were checked and one of the "near strangers" on your boat said the wrong thing when the USCG is on board, it could turn black PDQ.
Illegal Charter Boats Pose Threat to Public Safety
The Coast Guard is continuing their mission to reduce unlicensed and illegal charter boats in popular boating and fishing areas across the country.
In the last week, Coast Guard units have boarded more than 50 vessels in the Bay Area to verify captain's licenses and drug-and-alcohol testing programs, while Coast Guard investigators have conducted focused education and outreach efforts at local marinas and fishing docks to address the growing concern over illegal charters.
Boaters should expect the Coast Guard to be actively engaging with operators to promote safe and legal passenger vessel operations as all boats carrying passengers for hire are required to hold a Coast Guard license and meet minimum safety standards.
"Our top concern is passenger safety," said Lt. Anna Funk, Coast Guard Sector San Francisco investigator. "If someone gets underway on an unlicensed, unregulated charter boat, they could be putting themselves and their loved ones in danger. Illegal charter boats and crews have no oversight and may not have the experience or equipment to ensure passengers are safe."
Boat operators who transport paying passengers illegally without a license or without complying with federal safety regulations pose a serious and dangerous risk on the waterways, because they may not have the proper emergency safety gear and navigation and communication equipment aboard their vessel, and they may not have undergone the proper license exams or vessel inspections.
Owners and operators of illegal charter boats can face maximum civil penalties of over $80,000 for illegal passenger for hire operations.
Some potential fines include:
* Up to $39,936 for failure to operate a passenger vessel without a Coast Guard license
* Up to $16,398 for failure to produce a valid Certificate of Documentation for vessels over five net tons
* Up to $12,007 for failure to have a valid stability letter
* Up to $7,710 for failure to have a bona fide drug and alcohol testing program
* Up to $4,591 for failure to provide a Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection for vessels carrying more than six passengers
For additional recreational boating safety information, please visit
www.uscgboating.org.
