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OPERATION SAFE CRAB SCHEDULED TO BEGIN

SEATTLE - The opening of the Oregon and Washington State Dungeness Crab
fishery is set to begin Dec. 31.

The Coast Guard will conduct safety spot checks and free dockside
safety exams in various Northwest ports beginning Dec. 27 through Dec.
29, in an effort to reduce accidents during the commercial crab fishing
season.

Coast Guard examiners will be spot-checking primary lifesaving
equipment, vessel freeboard, watertight integrity and pot loading
practices. Similar at-the-dock checks in previous years, Coast Guard
examiners found nearly one-third of lifesaving equipment, such as
emergency position indicating radio beacons or liferafts, were
installed improperly. In most cases the problems were corrected on the
spot.

Serious problems, such as overloading, breech of watertight integrity,
missing primary lifesaving equipment or non-functioning emergency
position indicating radio beacons; greatly reduce chances of survival
during an emergency. Any vessels found with serious problems will be
restricted from operating until they are fixed.

As part of Operation Safe Crab, Coast Guard fishing vessel safety
personnel will provide basic safety training to operators and crew
members of fishing vessels.

The operation's spot checks, inspections and training began in 2000.
Since that year, fatalities during the crab season have been
significantly reduced. There was one death related to the Dungeness
Crab fishery in the spring of 2005.

Questions regarding "Operation Safe Crab," including the availability
of receiving a voluntary dockside exam should be directed to Mr. Dan
Hardin, Fishing Vessel Safety Coordinator, at (206) 220-7226, or
.

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The U.S. Coast Guard is a military, maritime, multi-mission service
within the
Department of Homeland Security dedicated to protecting the safety and
security of America.