DATE: May 18, 2005 11:17:30 AM PDT
(May 18, 2005) CGC Jarvis departs for multi-nation tour

Coast Guard Cutter Jarvis departs for multi-nation tour
Story by Ensign Anastacia Visneski

USCGC Jarvis left its homeport of Honolulu, Hawii May 9, 2005, on a patrol to deter Illegal, Unregulated and Unreported (IUU) fishing in the Northwest Pacific. This patrol operationalizes an agreement between the North Pacific Heads of Coast Guard Agencies (NPHCGA) from the United States, Canada, China, Japan, Russia, and South Korea. The agreement serves as a multi-national forum to stimulate cooperative high seas management efforts and the development of a maritime security regime.

Before departing Honolulu, Jarvis took the first step in this agreement by embarking a Chinese Fisheries Enforcement Officer, Mr. Gou Chen. Chen and two U.S. Army translators from Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, form the first part of a

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specialty team to tackle the challenges that different cultures, regulations, and languages pose to enforcement officials.

Within the first 24 hours away from port Jarvis conducted five mission critical safety drills to ensure that all crewmembers were prepared for any emergencies. Chen and the translators were included in those drills and also trained in basic safety procedures for Coast Guard boardings. Besides training, communications were established at sea between Chen and his superiors in China. Chen also went along on a helicopter flight to look for Chinese fishing vessels.

As they cross the Pacific, Jarvis will investigate the central ocean current pools to determine the extent of debris that may be collecting and harming the environment or marine life.

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Crewmembers will also work to prepare JARVIS for the next part of the mission, the Japan Coast Guard (JCG) annual Sea Review in Yokohama. Besides participating in the Sea Review, Jarvis will demonstrate procedures the U.S. Coast Guard uses in hostile boarding situations, as well as observe JCG boarding methods and discuss enforcement procedures.

After departing Japan, the Jarvis will meet Korean Coast Guard (KCG) officials in Incheon, South Korea to share tactical information and establish the framework to conduct mutually supportive operations. Two KCG officers will embark Jarvis for the next phase of the patrol: active search, detection, and deterrence of IUU fishing vessels in the Northwest Pacific. This phase will also include joint operations with Canadian search aircraft and Russian enforcement vessels, and the sharing of information between coordination centers of all members of the NPHCGA.

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