BB Buoy Going Away and Relocated

[relentless]

Good Morning,

I was looking at the Local Notice to Mariners and came across a proposal that jumped out at me. If you are one of the guys who fishes either commercial or recreationally off of Chatham and rely on the important real time data of the BB Buoy (NOAA BUOY 44018) you may want to write the Coast Guard and tell them how you feel about the proposal to move the BB buoy approximately 12 NM NE of Highland light. With the longliners, gillnetters, recreational and commercial tuna fleets relying on this critical weather buoy to make the decision to go or not go offshore I feel this is not a good idea. In addition we can not forget the fleet of 200 to 300 boats during the late fall bite who use this buoy and relocating it to the proposed location generates safety concerns. I would be in favor of adding an additional weather bouy to the proposed location. Here is the proposal and a chart with a yellow mark where the Coast Guard is proposing to move it. You can send your comments in by email NLT 6 September to the address below. I know I will be drafting my email this week.


The Coast Guard is considering making the following change to this waterway;
RELOCATE Boston Approach Lighted Buoy BB NOAA 44018 (LLNR 560) to approximate position 42-07-54.000N and 069-48-48.000W.
RENAME Boston Approach Lighted Buoy BB NOAA 44018 (LLNR 560) to NOAA Data Lighted Buoy 44018 (LLNR 560).
Interested Mariners are strongly encouraged to comment on this proposal in writing, either personally or through your organization. All comments will be carefully considered and are requested by 6 Sep 2011. To facilitate the process, refer to Project No. 01-11-124. In addition to the address listed on the front cover, e-mails can be sent to mark.e.ferreira@uscg.mil and faxes to 617-223-8291

[relentless]

Here is a copy of the email I sent to mark.e.ferreira@uscg.mil and in the Subject Line I put Project No. 01-11-124 BB Buoy (LLNR 560). Please send in emails NLT September 6th to express your concern or comments.

Dave



To Whom it May Concern:

I am writing to you to express my concern and opposition to relocating the
Boston Approach Lighted Buoy BB NOAA 44018 (LLNR 560) to approximate
position 42-07-54.000N and 069-48-48.000W, twelve NM northeast of Highland
Light. I have many years of experience fishing both commercially and
recreationally in the area of the BB buoy. This buoy serves as the primary
real time weather data source of information for longliners, gillnetters,
charter boats, recreational and commercial tuna fleets. The decision whether
to head offshore or not at 0300 is based upon the information provided by
this buoy.

It is well documented in the late fall with the strong northwest winds you
can have a fleet of two-hundred to three-hundred boas fishing for giant
bluefin tuna in this area and relocating the buoy to the proposed location
is a major safety concern. These vessels can be anywhere's from twenty-five
to fifty feet in length, making over 50 mile transits from places like
Nantucket, Hyannis, Chatham, Saquatucket and Wychemere Harbors. By
relocating this weather buoy it puts these vessels at great risk.

I am definitely in favor of seeing an additional weather buoy set in the
proposed location or somewhere in that area for the safety of both the
recreational and commercial mariner.

If you have any questions regarding this request, please contact me
anytime.

Respectfully,

Dave Waldrip

[Seaker]

Thanks Capt.Dave..I can't believe no one else has responded to this since you put it up. That and all bouy data is crutial to all of us who enjoy making our plans with the best intel available.

Here's my email to mark:


To Whom it May Concern:

I am writing to you to express my concern and opposition to relocating the
Boston Approach Lighted Buoy BB NOAA 44018 (LLNR 560) to approximate
position 42-07-54.000N and 069-48-48.000W, twelve NM northeast of Highland
Light. I have many years of experience fishing both commercially and
recreationally. The BB bouy serves as the primary
real time weather data source of information for longliners, gillnetters,
charter boats, recreational and commercial tuna fleets. The decision whether
to head offshore or not is based upon the information provided by
this buoy and others like it.
This particular bouy resides in a location that is near and dear to many in the pursuit of Bluefin Tuna.

It is well documented in the late fall with the strong northwest winds you
can have a fleet of many vessels fishing for giant
bluefin tuna in this area and relocating the buoy to the proposed location
is a major safety concern.

These vessels can be anywhere's from twenty-five
to over fifty feet in length, making over 50 mile transits from places like
Nantucket, Hyannis, Chatham, and the waters of Buzzards Bay. By
relocating this weather buoy it puts these vessels at great risk.

I am definitely in favor of seeing an additional weather buoy set in the
proposed location or somewhere in that area for the safety of both the
recreational and commercial mariner.

If you have any questions regarding this request, please contact me
anytime.

Respectfully,
Captain Vin McCarthy

[maritime23]

Just sent mine off, Thanks for the info.

Correct email is mark.e.ferreira@uscg.mil


Eric Elder
Maritime23

[relentless]

Thanks Maritime for bringing the typo to my attention.

Dave

[backman]

The bigger issue than the BB is the status of buoy maintenance as a whole. To the south 44066 has been MIA for close to 9 months, 44017 has no wind data and 44011 has been MIA for a year now.

My suggestion is they fix what is broken before they go move things around.