Coast Guard

Published on: February 17, 2026

New Coast Guard Cutter for Alaska’s Demanding Waters

The USCGC FREDERICK MANN is the sixth Fast Response Cutter (FRC) assigned to the Arctic District and the third for Kodiak. These aren’t ceremonial vessels, they are crucial for conducting search and rescue operations when fishing vessels are in distress, patrol fisheries to protect one of the nation’s most valuable natural resources, and defend the maritime borders.

Alaska’s coastline is longer than the entire rest of the United States combined. However, for decades the U.S. Coast Guard has relied on aging patrol boats built in the 1980s to cover this area. The new generation of FRCs represents a significant upgrade. These new vessels are equipped with advanced surveillance and communications systems and capable of deploying smaller boats over the horizon to reach vessels in distress or under suspicion.

The USCGC FREDERICK MANN will be incorporated into the U.S. Coast Guard during a significant period of modernization. After the commissioning of the USCGC STORIS (the service’s first new polar icebreaker in more than 25 years) the Arctic District is also set to receive two additional Offshore Patrol Cutters soon. For a region where climate change is opening new shipping lanes and creating new security challenges, this is an important addition.

Published on: February 10, 2026

Coast Guard Launches Formal Investigation into Fatal F/V Lily Jean Sinking

by Nigel Stacey

The U.S. Coast Guard has officially launched a district-level investigation into the sinking of the fishing vessel LILY JEAN, which occurred approximately 25 miles off Cape Ann, Massachusetts, and resulted in the loss of seven lives.

Commander of the U.S. Coast Guard’s Northeast District, Rear Adm. Michael Platt, authorized the inquiry after the 72-foot commercial fishing vessel’s entire crew was lost in the incident. Emergency responders were alerted when the vessel’s emergency beacon (EPIRB) activated around 6:50 a.m. that morning.

Multiple U.S. Coast Guard units responded to the distress call, including an Air Station Cape Cod helicopter crew, a Gloucester small boat team, and the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter THUNDER BAY. Rescuers discovered a debris field at the beacon’s location and retrieved one deceased individual from the water. The vessel’s life raft was found deployed but empty.

Published on: February 3, 2026

Seven Lost Following the Sinking of F/V Lily Jean

by Nigel Stacey

It is with great sadness that we report the U.S. Coast Guard has suspended its search for the F/V LILY JEAN after more than 24 hours of effort by air and sea turned up no survivors. One body was recovered from the water. Six crew members remain missing and are now presumed dead.

The distress began early Friday morning, when the U.S. Coast Guard received an emergency beacon activation signal from the F/V LILY JEAN, a 72-foot groundfish trawler based out of Gloucester. The vessel had gone down approximately 25 miles off the coast of Cape Ann, about 40 miles northeast of Boston. Repeated attempts to reach the boat by radio went unanswered.

The F/V LILY JEAN was captained by Accursio “Gus” Sanfilippo, a fifth-generation Gloucester fisherman. The crew included Paul Beal Sr. and his son Paul Beal Jr., John Paul Rousanidis, Freeman Short, and Sean Therrien. Also aboard was Jada Samitt, a 22-year-old NOAA fisheries observer from Virginia, assigned to collect data on the vessel’s catch.

Published on: December 16, 2025

Fire Aboard Fishing Vessel near Florida Coast

by Nigel Stacey

On Sunday, December 14th, 2025, a fisherman was rescued after his vessel caught fire approximately 100 miles west of Clearwater, Florida.

At 3:27 p.m., the U.S. Coast Guard’s Southeast District was alerted by an emergency position radio beacon, prompting them to dispatch a Clearwater MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter rescue team.

The fisherman abandoned the burning vessel and was located in a life raft near the site, where sea conditions measured 2 to 4 feet with winds of 14 knots. The U.S. Coast Guard dispatched a rescue swimmer and safely hoisted the fisherman at approximately 5:46 p.m.

Published on: November 25, 2025

Shape the Future of Fishing Vessel Safety

by Nigel Stacey

Have you ever thought about how safety regulations for commercial fishing vessels get decided? The U.S. Coast Guard wants to hear from people like you.

They’re looking for new members to join the National Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety Advisory Committee, a group that meets twice each year to help develop safety policies affecting fishing operations nationwide. They are especially interested in hearing from those working on the water and those building the equipment that keeps crews safe.

The U.S. Coast Guard is specifically looking for fishermen and manufacturers to fill current openings. If you’ve spent time on commercial vessels or you design and build equipment for the fishing industry, your practical knowledge is exactly what this committee needs.

Published on: October 28, 2025

The Jones Act and Its Relevance to the Arctic

by Nigel Stacey

The waiver of the Jones Act which allows Finland to construct four Arctic Security Cutters for the U.S. Coast Guard represents a significant point at which Arctic geopolitics, fishing rights, and maritime policy intersect. This crucial decision highlights the challenges arising from longstanding protective laws and the conditions presented by the rapid changes to the Arctic Ocean.

As Arctic sea ice recedes to record lows each year, previously inaccessible areas are opening to human economic activity which include commercial fishing in waters once covered by permanent ice. The Arctic region also contains approximately 13 percent of the world’s oil, about a third of the world’s natural gas, and rare earth minerals on the sea floor. Warming waters, shifting fish migration patterns, and longer ice free seasons are driving commercial fishery growth in areas like the U.S. Arctic Exclusive Economic Zone, as fish ranges expand into the newly exposed central Arctic Ocean.

The Merchant Marine Act of 1920, commonly known as the Jones Act, requires that ships operating between U.S. ports must be American built, flagged, and crewed. Originally devised to bolster the Merchant Marine fleet after the First World War, the Jones Act has become the support system for domestic commercial shipbuilding. However, this measure has created some obstacles for Arctic operations.

Published on: October 21, 2025

Fishing Bill Stalls Amid Government Shutdown

by Nigel Stacey

As the federal government shutdown extends into its third week, legislation unrelated to funding disputes, such as H.R. 3756, a bipartisan bill designed to combat illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing worldwide, remains stalled. Introduced in June 2025, this bill has been referred to multiple House committees and has yet to progress, as lawmakers continue to prioritize resolving the ongoing budget impasse.

IUU fishing is a major global problem, accounting for an estimated 20% of all seafood harvested annually. It costs legitimate fisheries between $10 billion and $23 billion each year and includes small-scale violations as well as organized criminal operations that falsify catch reports, bypass permits, and use fishing vessels for illicit activities.

The government shutdown, which began on October 1st, 2025, has furloughed roughly 900,000 federal employees, with another 700,000 working without pay. The U.S. Coast Guard continues operations under the Department of Homeland Security, but other agencies that support fisheries enforcement, such as NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement, are operating with limited capacity. Essential inspections and enforcement continue, but some investigative and international cooperation efforts may be delayed.

Published on: September 30, 2025

Alaska Fisherman Dies Aboard Cod Vessel Near Aleutian Islands

by Nigel Stacey

A 27-year-old commercial fisherman died on September 3rd, 2025, following a workplace accident aboard a fishing vessel operating in the Aleutian Islands.

Alaska State Troopers identified the deceased fisherman as Baxter Cox. According to Alaska State Trooper spokesman Austin McDaniel, the fatal incident occurred at approximately 9:45 p.m. while Cox was working aboard the F/V HALCYON, a 58-foot commercial fishing vessel owned by Buck Laukitis.

The vessel was fishing for Pacific cod with pot gear approximately 20 miles north of Akutan Island when the incident occurred. It is reported that Cox was untangling rope attached to a steel cod pot when another piece of equipment struck him in the head, McDaniel stated. Cox reportedly died from his injuries as the vessel transited Unimak Pass, the narrow strait connecting the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska near Unalaska.

Published on: September 23, 2025

Tugboat Dominion Sinks in Bremerton Marina Prompting Major Environmental Response

by Nigel Stacey

The 130-foot TB DOMINION sank in Bremerton Marina on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, prompting an environmental response that has continued all week as crews work to contain diesel fuel contamination and assess ecological effects.

The Washington State Department of Ecology was notified of the sinking on Wednesday afternoon, and the U.S. Coast Guard immediately responded to the incident. On Thursday morning, response teams deployed an absorbent boom around the sunken tugboat to contain fuel leaking from the vessel.

The U.S. Coast Guard set a safety zone from Manette Bridge extending 200 yards off the Bremerton Marina breakwater to the Bremerton Ferry Terminal. Non-commercial vessels were advised to avoid the area as U.S. Coast Guard vessels were actively maintaining this restricted area.

Published on: August 26, 2025

Meeting Fishing Vessel Safety Act Requirements: 2025-2026 Compliance Guide

by Nigel Stacey

Commercial fishing remains one of America’s most dangerous occupations, with fatality rates significantly higher than most other industries. The Commercial Fishing Industry Vessel Safety Act, enacted following tragic losses at sea, establishes minimum safety requirements that can mean the difference between life and death. Here is a comprehensive guide for mariners to ensure compliance for 2025-2026.

Determine Your Vessel’s Classification

Establish which regulations apply to your operation. The Fishing Vessel Safety Act applies to commercial fishing vessels, with different requirements based on vessel size, operation area, and crew capacity. Documented vessels operating beyond the U.S. Boundary Line (the dividing point between internal and offshore waters) or carrying more than 16 persons face the most rigorous requirements, while smaller operations have modified standards. Check your vessel’s documentation and operating parameters against current U.S. Coast Guard classifications. This determines everything from equipment requirements to training obligations.