The Coast Guard will offer courtesy dockside examinations of commercial fishing vessels in Bristol Bay in anticipation of the 2020 Bristol Bay salmon fishery season.
The Coast Guard anticipates sending examiners to the following locations for public outreach and to encourage dockside exam participation:
- King Salmon: June 8 – 22
- Dillingham: June 15 – 26
- Egegik: June 15 – 19
Examiners will conduct exams, which will address any safety issues that may be present before an operator gets underway. The examiners will not issue fines or other penalties for any problems they discover at the dock. The exams focus on safety and address items such as flares, charts, navigational signals, fire extinguishers, emergency position indicating radio beacons and the serviceability of immersion suits.
Coast Guard Sector Anchorage’s detailed plan to operate in the Arctic and Western Alaska this season includes specific steps the agency will take to prevent the spread of COVID-19. Each inspector will be tested for COVID-19 before each deployment, followed by appropriate quarantine procedures. Inspectors will wear protective equipment in accordance with state health mandates and practice social distancing.
Fishermen are encouraged to sign up for an exam by calling and speaking directly with one of the Coast Guard examiners working in Dillingham at (907) 538-4103, Egegik at (907) 538-8062, and King Salmon at (907) 717-6270 or (907) 538-9748.
Boats can also choose to signal they are ready for an exam by running a ring buoy up high on the mast.
