News Release
March 24, 2017
U.S. Coast Guard 7th District PA Detachment Tampa Bay
Contact: Coast Guard PA Detachment Tampa Bay
24/7 duty cell: (305) 965-4672

Coast Guard seeks public help to identify hoax callers

Coast Guard officials seek the public’s help to identify hoax callers in the Cape Coral area, Monday, March 20, 2017. Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg, Florida, watch standers received a steady stream of suspected or confirmed hoax calls over the past year; persons found guilty of a hoax call are subject to prosecution as a Class D felony and are subject to civil penalties of up to $5,000. U.S. Coast Guard video

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. – The Coast Guard asks for the public’s help Friday to identify hoax callers in the Cape Coral area.

For the past year, Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg watch standers received a steady stream of suspected or confirmed hoax radio calls along the Gulf Coast – the majority of the calls are within the Cape Coral area.

The calls were made on VHF-FM marine band channel 16, a channel designated only for hailing and distress calls. A call is considered a hoax when there is an intent to deceive the Coast Guard or emergency responders.

“Hoax calls are costly to the taxpayer and our service,” said Charles ‘Marty’ Russell, resident agent-in-charge of the Coast Guard Investigative Service office in St. Petersburg. “When the Coast Guard receives a distress call, we immediately respond, putting our crews at risk, and risking the lives of boaters who may legitimately need our help.”

Penalties for making a false distress call can include six years in prison, $250,000 criminal fine, $5,000 civil fine and restitution to the Coast Guard and local agencies.

If you have any information leading to the identification of a hoax caller, please contact the Coast Guard Investigative Service tip line at 727-535-1437, ext. 2308.

Keep a lookout for manatees in motion this spring
For immediate release: March 22, 2017
In balmy spring weather, both manatees and boaters are cruising through Florida’s waterways.
CLICK HERE FOR PHOTOS

For manatees, it is a seasonal ritual when they abandon winter retreats and head north along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts and through inland waters. For boaters, it is a critical time to be on the lookout for manatees to avoid colliding with these large, slow-moving aquatic mammals.

From April 1 through Nov. 15, seasonal manatee zones require boaters to slow down in certain areas to prevent manatees from being struck by motorboats or personal watercraft.

Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) law enforcement officers will be on patrol in state waters to remind boaters of the seasonal manatee speed zones and take enforcement actions when necessary.

Because manatees are difficult to detect when underwater, operators of boats, including personal watercraft, need to take basic steps to avoid causing injury to manatees:

Wear polarized sunglasses to help spot manatees.
Look for large circles on the water, also known as manatee footprints, indicating the presence of a manatee below.
Look for a snout sticking up out of the water.
Follow posted manatee zones while boating.
FWC biologists, managers and law enforcement staff work closely with partners to evaluate current data and identify necessary actions to protect this iconic animal. Florida has invested over $2 million annually for manatee conservation, and the FWC will work toward continued success for manatees in our state.

Manatee zones and maps are available at MyFWC.com/Manatee, where you can select “Protection Zones” for links to county maps.

The FWC also asks anyone who sees an injured, distressed, sick or dead manatee to call the agency’s Wildlife Alert Hotline at 888-404-FWCC (3922) or dial #FWC or *FWC on a cellphone.

You can watch manatees without disturbing them by following “Guidelines for protecting native wildlife – Florida Manatees,” a brochure with tips for canoers, kayakers, paddle boarders, snorkelers and scuba divers. It’s available at MyFWC.com/Manatee, click on “Boat, PWC, & Paddle-sport Operators” and then on “Paddle-sport Operators.” Also on MyFWC.com/Manatee is “Where are Florida’s Manatees?” with information about where to go to see manatees in the wild or in captivity.

Support the FWC’s manatee research, rescue and management efforts by purchasing a “Save the Manatee” Florida license plate at BuyaPlate.com, or by donating $5 to receive an FWC manatee decal by going to MyFWC.com/Manatee and clicking on “Decals.”
Contact: Diane Hirth, 850-410-5291; Carli Segelson, 772-215-9459

NEWS From BoatUS
Boat Owners Association of The United States
880 S. Pickett St., Alexandria VA 22304

Boat Owners Association of The United States Says Budget Proposal Raises Concerns for American Boaters

US Coast Guard faces 14% budget cut

WASHINGTON, DC, March 21, 2017 – After its first look at the Trump administration’s new budget blueprint released March 16, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) says that boat owners should be aware of potential budget impacts that could affect boating safety, access and the health of our waterways.

“The administration’s budget proposal clearly reflects a different set of priorities over previous years,” said BoatUS Manager of Government Affairs David Kennedy. “Proposed cuts to agencies such as the Departments of Commerce and Interior, Army Corps of Engineers and the Environmental Protection Agency could lead to changes for many programs that matter to boating.”

Added Kennedy, “Considering boating’s $121.5 billion impact, we believe this would be short sighted and negatively affect the boating experience for our nation’s 12 million boat owners.”

Kennedy notes that under budget proposal’s shifting priorities, US Coast Guard funding could be slashed 14 percent to just $7.8 billion, while the service’s “parent,” the Department of Homeland Security, is increased. “As the budget process continues, boaters may need to communicate with their members of Congress regarding programs that fund clean-water efforts, clean marina programs, navigation improvements, regional waterway restoration such as the Chesapeake Bay, Great Lakes and Puget Sound, and boating safety programs. We are keeping a close watch.”

BoatUS will continue to monitor the budget process, ensure that the recreational boater’s voice is heard and advise its more than half-million members of boating-related budget items.
Press Contact: D. Scott Croft, 703-461-2864, SCroft@BoatUS.com