[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 33, Volume 2]
[Revised as of July 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 33CFR161.55]

[Page 570-571]
 
                TITLE 33--NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS
 
   CHAPTER I--COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY (CONTINUED)
 
PART 161--VESSEL TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT--Table of Contents
 
 Subpart C--Vessel Traffic Service and Vessel Movement Reporting System 
                       Areas and Reporting Points
 
Sec. 161.55  Vessel Traffic Service Puget Sound and the Cooperative Vessel 
Traffic Service for the Juan de Fuca Region.

    The Vessel Traffic Service Puget Sound area consists of the 
navigable waters of the United States bounded by a line drawn from the 
Washington State coastline at 4823[min]08[sec] N., 
12443[min]37[sec] W. on Cape Flattery to the Cape Flattery Light at 
4823[min]30[sec] N., 12444[min]12[sec] W. on Tatoosh Island, 
due west to the U.S. Territorial Sea Boundary; thence northward along 
the U.S. Territorial Sea Boundary to its intersection with the U.S./
Canada International Boundary; thence east along the U.S./Canada 
International Boundary through the waters known as the Strait of Juan de 
Fuca, Haro Strait, Boundary Pass, and the Strait of Georgia to the 
Washington State coastline at 4900[min]06[sec] N., 
12245[min]18[sec] W. (International Boundary

[[Page 571]]

Range C Rear Light). This area includes: Puget Sound, Hood Canal, 
Possession Sound, the San Juan Island Archipelago, Rosario Strait, 
Guemes Channel, Bellingham Bay, the U.S. waters of the Strait of Juan de 
Fuca and the Strait of Georgia, and all waters adjacent to the above.
    (a) Vessel Traffic Service Puget Sound participates in a U.S./
Canadian Cooperative Vessel Traffic Service (CVTS) to jointly manage 
vessel traffic in the Juan de Fuca Region. The CVTS for the Juan de Fuca 
Region consists of all waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and its 
offshore approaches, southern Georgia Strait, the Gulf and San Juan 
Archipelagos, Rosario Strait, Boundary Pass and Haro Strait, bounded on 
the northwest by 4835[min]45[sec] N.; and on the southwest by 
4823[min]30[sec] N.; and on the west by the rhumb line joining 
4835[min]45[sec] N., 12447[min]30[sec] W. with 
4823[min]30[sec] N., 12448[min]37[sec] W.; and on the 
northeast in the Strait of Georgia, by a line drawn along 49N. from 
Vancouver Island to Semiahmoo Bay; and on the southeast, by a line drawn 
from McCurdy Point on the Quimper Peninsula to Point Partridge on 
Whidbey Island. Canadian and United States Vessel Traffic Centers 
(Tofino, B.C., Canada, Vancouver, BC, Canada and Seattle, WA) manage 
traffic within the CVTS area irrespective of the International Boundary.
    (b) VTS Special Areas. (1) The Rosario Strait VTS Special Area 
consists of those waters bounded to the south by the center of 
Precautionary Area ``RB'' (a circular area of 2,500 yards radius 
centered at 4826[min]24[sec] N., 12245[min]12[sec] W.), and to 
the north by the center of Precautionary Area ``C'' (a circular area of 
2,500 yards radius centered at 4840[min]34[sec] N., 
12242[min]44[sec] W.; Lighted Buoy ``C''); and
    Note: The center of precautionary area ``RB'' is not marked by a 
buoy. All precautionary areas are depicted on National Oceanic and 
Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) nautical charts.
    (2) The Guemes Channel VTS Special Area consists of those waters 
bounded to the west by Shannon Point on Fidalgo Island and to the east 
by Southeast Point on Guemes Island.
    (c) Additional VTS Special Area Operating Requirements. The 
following additional requirements are applicable in the Rosario Strait 
and Guemes Channel VTS Special Areas:
    (1) A vessel engaged in towing shall not impede the passage of a 
vessel of 40,000 dead weight tons or more.
    (2) A vessel of less than 40,000 dead weight tons is exempt from the 
provision set forth in Sec. 161.13(b)(1) of this part.
    (3) A vessel of less than 100 meters in length is exempt from the 
provisions set forth in Sec. 161.13(b)(3) of this part. Approval will 
not be granted for:
    (i) A vessel of 100 meters or more in length to meet or overtake; or 
cross or operate within 2,000 yards (except when crossing astern) of a 
vessel of 40,000 dead weight tons or more; or
    (ii) A vessel of 40,000 dead weight tons or more to meet or 
overtake; or cross or operate within 2,000 yards (except when crossing 
astern) of a vessel of 100 meters or more in length.
    (d) Reporting Point. Inbound vessels in the Strait of Juan de Fuca 
upon crossing 124-W.

[CGD 90-020, 59 FR 36324, July 15, 1994, as amended by USCG-1998-3799, 
63 FR 35531, June 30, 1998]