Sec. 10306. Exemption of commercial fishing vessels operating in Alaskan Region from Global Maritime Distress and Safety System requirements of Federal Communications Commission
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In this section, the term Secretary means the Secretary of the department in which the Coast Guard is operating. Subject to subsection (c), the Federal Communications Commission shall exempt fishing vessels that primarily operate in the Alaskan Region, including fishing vessels that transit from States in the Pacific Northwest to conduct fishing operations in the Alaskan Region, from the requirements relating to carriage of VHF–DSC and MF–DSC equipment under subpart W of part 80 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation. A fishing vessel exempted under subsection
(b)shall— be capable of transmitting ship-to-shore distress alerts using not fewer than 2 separate and independent systems, each using a different radio communication service; be equipped with— a VHF radiotelephone installation; an MF or HF radiotelephone installation; a Category 1, 406.0–406.1 MHz EPIRB meeting the requirements of section 80.1061 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation; a NAVTEX receiver meeting the requirements of section 80.1101(c)(1) of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation; survival craft equipment meeting the requirements of section 80.1095 of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation; and a Search and Rescue Transponder meeting the requirements of section 80.1101(c)(6) of title 47, Code of Federal Regulations, or any successor regulation; maintain a continuous watch on VHF Channel 16; and as an alternative to the equipment listed in subparagraphs
(A)through
(F)of paragraph (2), carry equipment found by the Federal Communications Commission, in consultation with the Secretary, to be equivalent or superior with respect to ensuring the safety of the vessel. Not later than 30 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary shall define the term Alaskan Region for purposes of this section. The Secretary shall include in the definition of such term the area of responsibility of Coast Guard District 17.