Over the past few years, U.S. Coast Guard Sector Columbia River has made an effort to crack down on “paper captains” along the Oregon and Washington state coasts.
Under federal law, U.S.-flagged vessels must be under the command of U.S. citizens. The Jones Act, established in 1920, is intended to protect American shipping, fishing and other maritime industries from foreign competition.
A “paper captain” is a term given to an American citizen who is listed as the captain of a U.S.-flagged vessel, when in reality, a foreign national masters the boat.
Lt. Cmdr. Colin Fogarty, the enforcement chief for the sector in Warrenton, helps carry out defense operations and enforce laws and regulations on the Oregon and Washington state coasts. Since coming into his role, Fogarty said he has made addressing Jones Act violations a priority.
“Since I reported here 2 1/2 years ago, and I became aware of these violations, I have made it my personal mission to zealously enforce these laws,” he said.
Last month, Fogarty and his crew identified and penalized another paper captain, totaling the number of Jones Act violations within the past three years to over 10.
“Jones Act violations are notoriously difficult to prove,” Fogarty said. ” … It's taken a lot of work. I'm very proud of our team.”
On Oct. 19, Coast Guard boarding officers conducted a safety inspection on an 89-foot fishing vessel near Westport, Washington….
