[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 50, Volume 7]
[Revised as of January 1, 2007]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 50CFR300.5]

[Page 711-712]
 
                    TITLE 50--WILDLIFE AND FISHERIES
 
        CHAPTER III--INTERNATIONAL FISHING AND RELATED ACTIVITIES
 
PART 300_INTERNATIONAL FISHERIES REGULATIONS--Table of Contents
 
                            Subpart A_General
 
Sec. 300.5  Facilitation of enforcement.

    (a) Compliance. The operator of, or any other person aboard, any 
fishing vessel subject to this part must immediately comply with 
instructions and signals issued by an authorized officer or CCAMLR 
inspector to stop the vessel, and with instructions to facilitate safe 
boarding and inspection of the vessel, its gear, equipment, fishing 
record (where applicable), and catch for purposes of enforcing this 
part.
    (b) Communications. (1) Upon being approached by a USCG vessel or 
aircraft, or other vessel or aircraft with an authorized officer or 
CCAMLR inspector aboard, the operator of a fishing vessel must be alert 
for communications conveying enforcement instructions.
    (2) VHF-FM radiotelephone is the preferred method of communicating 
between vessels. If the size of the vessel and the wind, sea, and 
visibility conditions allow, a loudhailer may be used instead of the 
radio. Hand signals, placards, high frequency radiotelephone, voice, 
flags, whistle or horn may be employed by an authorized officer or 
CCAMLR inspector, and message blocks may be dropped from an aircraft.
    (3) If other communications are not practicable, visual signals may 
be transmitted by flashing light directed at the vessel signaled. USCG 
units will normally use the flashing light signal ``L'' which, in the 
International Code of Signals, means ``you should stop your vessel 
instantly.''
    (4) Failure of a vessel's operator promptly to stop the vessel when 
directed to do so by an authorized officer or CCAMLR inspector, or by an 
enforcement vessel or aircraft, using loudhailer, radiotelephone, 
flashing light, flags, whistle, horn or other means constitutes prima 
facie evidence of the offense of refusal to allow an authorized officer 
or CCAMLR inspector to board.
    (5) A person aboard a vessel who does not understand a signal from 
an enforcement unit and who is unable to obtain clarification by 
loudhailer or radiotelephone must consider the signal to be a command to 
stop the vessel immediately.
    (c) Boarding. The operator of a vessel directed to stop must:
    (1) Monitor Channel 16, VHF-FM, if so equipped.
    (2) Stop immediately and lay to or, if appropriate and/or directed 
to do so by the authorized officer or CCAMLR inspector, maneuver in such 
a way as to allow the safe boarding of the vessel by the authorized 
officer or CCAMLR inspector and the boarding party.
    (3) Except for those vessels with a freeboard of 4 ft (1.25 m) or 
less, provide a safe ladder, if needed, for the authorized officer or 
CCAMLR inspector and boarding party to come aboard.
    (4) When necessary to facilitate the boarding or when requested by 
an authorized officer or CCAMLR inspector, provide a manrope or safety 
line, and illumination for the ladder.
    (5) Take such other actions as necessary to facilitate boarding and 
to ensure the safety of the authorized officer or CCAMLR inspector and 
the boarding party.
    (d) Signals. The following signals, extracted from the International 
Code of Signals, may be sent by flashing light by an enforcement unit 
when conditions do not allow communications by loudhailer or 
radiotelephone. Knowledge of these signals by vessel operators is not 
required. However, knowledge of these signals and appropriate action by 
a vessel operator may preclude the necessity of sending the signal ``L'' 
and the necessity for the vessel to stop instantly.
    (1) ``AA'' repeated (.- .-) is the call to an unknown station. The 
operator of the signaled vessel should respond by identifying the vessel 
by radiotelephone or by illuminating the vessel's identification.
    (2) ``RY-CY'' (.-. -.-- -.-. -.--) means ``you should proceed at 
slow speed, a boat is coming to you.'' This signal is normally employed 
when conditions allow an enforcement boarding without the necessity of 
the vessel being boarded coming to a complete stop, or,

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in some cases, without retrieval of fishing gear that may be in the 
water.
    (3) ``SQ3'' (... --.- ...--) means ``you should stop or heave to; I 
am going to board you.''