Cancelation of USCG Survival Craft Policy Letter 15-05 and Updated MSIB for Commercial Fishing Vessels

22 Feb
admin
Hi! Here’s the official word (please see below documents) from the Coast Guard to support my message a few days ago about the life rafts rule being deferred until Nov 1.
Cynthia Wallesz
Executive Director
United Southeast Alaska Gillnetters
PO Box 2196
Petersburg, AK 99833

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Colleagues,

If you have not already heard, CG-CVC has cancelled the Out of Water
Survival Craft Policy Letter 15-05 (MSIB 02-16) and has issued updated
guidance for Commercial Fishing Vessel Survival Craft Requirements (MSIB
04-16).Bottom line right now is that everything goes back to what is currently in
the regulations for commercial fishing vessels and survival craft in
46CFR28.  In-water survival craft (life-floats and buoyant apparatus)
approvals will resume.Individual and “class” survival craft exemptions will continue to be
entertained at District 17 as well as all existing exemptions remaining
intact until future regulations for out of water survival craft are
prescribed.  There is currently a rulemaking project underway to implement
46 USC 4502(b)(2).

I apologize for all the recent ambiguity surrounding this topic!  If you
have any questions, please feel free to contact me or CG-CVC at the contact
information provided in MSIB 04-16.  Thanks – scott

Regards,
Scott Wilwert
CGD17 Fishing Vessel Safety Coordinator
P.O.Box 25517, Rm. 753
Juneau, Ak.  99802-5517
Anthony.S.Wilwert@uscg.mil
(w):  (907) 463-2810
(c):  (907) 321-4110
(f):  (907) 463-2820