New VHF - add AIS Option?

US= 20 meters and up = illegal for commercial boats and vessels 20M+ to turn it off when operating within the 12 mile EEZ

Not sure what Canadian laws are

QUOTE

The Coast Guard issued a warning yesterday to mariners and commercial fisherman about the dangers and legal consequences of disabling a vessel's automated identification system.

The Coast Guard has seen an alarming increase of commercial fishing and crabbing vessels disabling their AIS, purportedly in an attempt to keep their fishing spots secret from competition.

"AIS is a vital tool in a host of Coast Guard missions including search and rescue and port security," said Lt. Collin Gruin, boarding team supervisor at Coast Guard Sector Columbia River. "It's not only illegal to turn it off but also incredibly dangerous."

AIS is a maritime navigation safety communications system adopted by the international community to help save lives and facilitate safe transit of navigable waterways.

AIS automatically transmits vessel information to shore stations, other ships, and aircraft. That includes vessel identity, type, position, course, speed, navigational status, and safety-related information.

The regulation (33 CFR 164.46) in part states that all self-propelled vessels, at a length of 65 feet or more, engaged in commercial service and operating on the territorial seas (within 12-nautical miles of shore) must maintain AIS in effective operating condition, which includes the continual operation of AIS and its associated devices (e.g., positioning system, gyro, converters, displays) at all times while the vessel is underway or at anchor, and, if moored, at least 15 minutes prior to getting underway.

Effective operation condition also includes the accurate input and upkeep of all AIS data fields. An AIS encoding guide has been provided to facilitate complying with this requirement.

Violators of this regulation can expect to receive a civil penalty up to a maximum of $35,486 per violation.



"Crabbers may think that they are protecting their businesses, but they are actually making search and rescue efforts more difficult if an emergency happens at sea," said Gruin.

UNQUOTE
Commercial Vessels
 
We were coming out of Pender Harbour last spring trying to cross the straight and there was about a 6 foot chop and the wind was howling. I heard on the radio it was blowing 47 at Sisters Islets and it was forecast to get worse. Half the crew wanted to turn back because they were worried that the conditions in the middle of the strait would be much worse. But I knew if we turned back it might be several days before the wind died down enough to cross.

I found a north bound tug just south of
Lasqueti Island on the AIS and haled them on the radio to ask what the sea state was at his position. He said it was about a 3 to 4 foot chop. So we knew if we carried on conditions would be better in the middle of the strait. We made it across no problem.

If we didn’t have the AIS we probably would have waited 2 days in Pender Harbour for the wind to die down.
 

Here's an example of regulation by AIS

I don’t think that’s a bad thing at all. It allows for enforcement of the laws and rules that could never be otherwise achieved because you can’t have manned patrols everywhere. Before everyone loses their minds, if you don’t like the laws and rules, change them through the appropriate and accepted ways. Ignoring or outright violating the rules or laws you disagree with is not appropriate or acceptable. A basic principle of modern societies, but it always needs repeating.
 
Ok, but we all have a right to be treated equally and fairly. The problem here is.....the boater that invests in safety and being a better citizen gets persecuted for it.
So I'll say no to that thanks.
 
When we did our build we were directed to SeaComm which was later sold and Gavin retired

I pulled the invoice to see what we had installed

Robert reccomended Gavin and since I didn't have a clue as to what was what I just listened to his advice

Gavin told me to buy a decent VHF antenna becasue the cheap one's degrade, and if you have bought a good radio and hook it to a cheap antenna you have just wasted the money you spent on a good radio.

Here is a list of stuff that was installed on our boat just about a year ago. The total cost was just under 10K

The first day we were out on the boat Victoria Coast Guard hailed us by Boat Name (AIS) to request we hold or stay far right at Admirality Point

We registered our boat as a vessel (so we have legal title ) so the boat's name is also registered on the AIS


I may be wrong on how the vessel name is linked to AIS (but I am too lazy to look up everything we did )


1676862424165.png
 
Ok, but we all have a right to be treated equally and fairly. The problem here is.....the boater that invests in safety and being a better citizen gets persecuted for it.
So I'll say no to that thanks.

Although investing in safety is a good thing, if you’re breaking laws/rules, I’m not sure how that makes you a “better citizen” than another person who does the same.
 
Thanks for all the responses team very informative!


I do think I’ll get AIS as a freighter coming out of the fog freaks me out.

If I was going to add AIS in the future, it appears a simple AIS receiver and splitter is around $600 (unless I’m looking in the wrong places) , in which case I may as well just spend the money now and get an all in one radio for the same price.

Please correct me if I’m wrong, but an all in one until like the SH gx2400 can utilize a single antenna with no splitter required? I went through the manual and it didn’t indicate a second antenna or splitter was required.
If you’re worried about freighters in the fog you could always get the ship finder app on your phone. I’ve used it for at least 15 years and it works great
 
you know you can just turn off AIS transmit and have it receive only, right ?
if asked you can always say your AIS transmitter must have been malfunctioning or you turned it off to save power.
there is no legal requirement to have AIS transmit all the time.
i only have transmit on when entering a marina, crossing a shipping lane or its very late at night and i need to be seen. otherwise its off and on receive only mode.
 
Although investing in safety is a good thing, if you’re breaking laws/rules, I’m not sure how that makes you a “better citizen” than another person who does the same.
I would equate this to getting a ticket when you do 82 in an 80 zone in your vehicle then automatically having a ticket issued. Or a parking spot where you stayed too long? Have you ever been unable to tack at the end of a zone due to other fisherman or getting pushed by weather and tide. No one does this intentionally. A little lee way at times is deserved. This is nat zi democratic world we live for.
 
For me - it's not about enforcement, fines or thinking one is better than anyone else. If it helps with safety and I can afford it - it makes sense to me and I take advantage of it. I do many things not required "by law" that I know down the road will help me or others. Keeping a ditch bag with you that has a spare GPS, radio, batteries, fuses, tools, etc is one such thing. Tying up and anchoring properly are 2 others. This is one more.

If one can avoid the small mistakes one often avoids the big ones...
 
For me - it's not about enforcement, fines or thinking one is better than anyone else. If it helps with safety and I can afford it - it makes sense to me and I take advantage of it. I do many things not required "by law" that I know down the road will help me or others. Keeping a ditch bag with you that has a spare GPS, radio, batteries, fuses, tools, etc is one such thing. Tying up and anchoring properly are 2 others. This is one more.

If one can avoid the small mistakes one often avoids the big ones...

For those of you that were interested in AIS being used as an enforcement item against the pleasure craft owner, have a look at the non corporate AMPS or Administrative Monetary Penalties issued for speeding through an SRKW speed zone last year. These poor fellahs probably had no clue that their AIS was being monitored in Ottawa. Happy reading.

 
For those of you that were interested in AIS being used as an enforcement item against the pleasure craft owner, have a look at the non corporate AMPS or Administrative Monetary Penalties issued for speeding through an SRKW speed zone last year. These poor fellahs probably had no clue that their AIS was being monitored in Ottawa. Happy reading.

Holy ****.
 
For those of you that were interested in AIS being used as an enforcement item against the pleasure craft owner, have a look at the non corporate AMPS or Administrative Monetary Penalties issued for speeding through an SRKW speed zone last year. These poor fellahs probably had no clue that their AIS was being monitored in Ottawa. Happy reading.

Thanks for the link, BCCP. I never looked up to see who got what fines before. The government instituted these "Administrative Monetary Penalties" way back in 2001, but behind the scenes - has slowly been applying these penalties using amendments to Administrative Monetary Penalties adding the consequences to various regulations associated with numerous acts including the Fisheries Act as well as the Shipping Act.


The reason?


"An Administrative Monetary Penalty is a civil penalty imposed by a regulator for a contravention of an Act, regulation or by-law.[1] It is issued upon discovery of an unlawful event, and is due and payable subject only to any rights of review that may be available under the AMP's implementing scheme.[1] It is regulatory in nature, rather than criminal, and is intended to secure compliance with a regulatory scheme,[1] and it can be employed with the use of other administrative sanctions, such as demerit points and license suspensions.[2]"

No court - only a "Request for Review" - which saves the government $$$ - the real reason for the implementation.

AIS data is likely reviewed in BC thru the AIS feeds (satellite, radar and VHF) into VTM as well as EMSA and then passed onto enforcement - rather than from Ottawa:


A an aside - after reviewing the links you provided - I shake my head in disbelief but not surprise at how many times/years Kelly Cove Salmon has been charged for numerous CSA corporate-offenders infractions - the parent company being Cooke Aquaculture.

Kelly Cove killed a pile of lobsters in NB using an illegal sea lice treatment a few years back and lied about it and got fined $500K. Then then never maintained their sea cages properly in Washington State and after the cages failed and more than 200K farmed salmon with their PRv escaped - they again lied and claimed it was only 100K and blamed the release on the eclipse. They were again fined $300K, and Washington State started to rid themselves of the ONP industry. It seems to me that Kelly Cove Salmon and their CEO figures it is cheaper to pay the fines than to do things right - fines just being another business expense.
 
Thanks for the link, BCCP. I never looked up to see who got what fines before. The government instituted these "Administrative Monetary Penalties" way back in 2001, but behind the scenes - has slowly been applying these penalties using amendments to Administrative Monetary Penalties adding the consequences to various regulations associated with numerous acts including the Fisheries Act as well as the Shipping Act.


The reason?


"An Administrative Monetary Penalty is a civil penalty imposed by a regulator for a contravention of an Act, regulation or by-law.[1] It is issued upon discovery of an unlawful event, and is due and payable subject only to any rights of review that may be available under the AMP's implementing scheme.[1] It is regulatory in nature, rather than criminal, and is intended to secure compliance with a regulatory scheme,[1] and it can be employed with the use of other administrative sanctions, such as demerit points and license suspensions.[2]"

No court - only a "Request for Review" - which saves the government $$$ - the real reason for the implementation.

AIS data is likely reviewed in BC thru the AIS feeds (satellite, radar and VHF) into VTM as well as EMSA and then passed onto enforcement - rather than from Ottawa:


A an aside - after reviewing the links you provided - I shake my head in disbelief but not surprise at how many times/years Kelly Cove Salmon has been charged for numerous CSA corporate-offenders infractions - the parent company being Cooke Aquaculture.

Kelly Cove killed a pile of lobsters in NB using an illegal sea lice treatment a few years back and lied about it and got fined $500K. Then then never maintained their sea cages properly in Washington State and after the cages failed and more than 200K farmed salmon with their PRv escaped - they again lied and claimed it was only 100K and blamed the release on the eclipse. They were again fined $300K, and Washington State started to rid themselves of the ONP industry. It seems to me that Kelly Cove Salmon and their CEO figures it is cheaper to pay the fines than to do things right - fines just being another business expense.
The monitoring in Ottawa comment was a slight, the areas are most likely geofenced and an operator (probably an underpaid co-op student) is alerted at the whale desk of the AIS infraction, doesn't really matter where they are, It's a federal infraction, that's where you send the checks 🤔
 
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