*1105/21West Coast Haida Gwaii – Voluntary Protection Zone for Shipping

(Recurrent publication of notice *1105/21, originally published in the Notices to Mariners – Monthly Western Edition 11/2021 publication.)

Reference: Notice *903/21 is cancelled.

Voluntary Protection Zone for Shipping, West Coast Haida Gwaii (formerly Queen Charlotte Islands)

Haida Gwaii’s remote location, rugged coastline, variable sea and weather conditions, and rich ecological and cultural heritage make it vulnerable to the potential for pollution from shipping breakdowns and accidents. Increasing the distance vessels travel offshore can increase the amount of time available to address propulsion, steering or other issues, and the likelihood of a towing vessel being able to respond to a vessel that is disabled or drifting. This in turn reduces the risk of grounding and oil spills.
A Voluntary Protection Zone for Shipping on the West Coast of Haida Gwaii is currently in effect. In the Voluntary Protection Zone, commercial vessels of 500 gross tonnage or greater shall observe a minimum distance of 50 nautical miles offshore when transiting along the West Coast of Haida Gwaii with the following exceptions:

–Cruise vessels, to observe a minimum 12 nm distance from shore;

–Vessels transiting between Pacific Northwest ports (Washington, Alaska, BC), to observe a minimum 25 nm distance from shore;
–Tugs and barges (including pushing and towing alongside), no minimum distance; and

–Fishing vessels, no minimum distance.

The Voluntary Protection Zone for Shipping coordinates are:

Vessels are requested to adhere to these distances on a voluntary basis and only when it does not jeopardize the safety of navigation, the vessel, the persons aboard, and the cargo.

(NW-P-1085-20)

*905/22Transport Canada – British Columbia North Coast Waterway Management Guidelines

(Recurrent publication of notice *905/22, originally published in the Notices to Mariners – Monthly Western Edition 09/2022 publication.)

The North Coast Waterway Management Guidelines are voluntary guidelines that aim to improve safety on the water by reducing conflicts between First Nations’ marine use activities, such as fishing and shoreline harvesting, and commercial vessels on the shipping route between Kitimat and Browning Entrance. The guidelines came into effect on September 1, 2022, and will be reviewed from time to time.

The guidelines apply to all vessels navigating on the route between Kitimat and Browning Entrance, on the north coast of British Columbia. This area includes:

The complete guidelines document is available at the following link:

https://www.notmar.gc.ca/publications/monthly/documents/NorthCoastWaterwayManagementGuidelines_Sept2022.pdf

Nothing in these guidelines replaces or changes how we apply any Canadian or international laws or regulations, including the Collision Regulations. Furthermore, nothing in these guidelines prevents or limits the master or pilot of a ship from making any decisions to protect the vessel, the crew, or the marine environment.

The guidelines include information for:

•all vessels that covers:

-inshore safety zones
-routing measures
-speed reductions
-guidelines for meeting and passing

-a special operating area in Wright Sound, and

-guidelines in case of a mechanical or electrical breakdown

•large commercial ships, including bulk carriers, general cargo vessels, liquid bulk vessels, and passenger vessels
•tugs and barges, and

•vessels operating in First Nations Areas of Concern where you must pay special attention to make sure local community users can transit and use the area safely.

*204/23Canadian Coast Guard – Cessation of Rectangular Broadcasting in NAVAREA / METAREAs XVII and XVIII

(Recurrent publication of notice *204/23, originally published in the Notices to Mariners – Monthly Western Edition 02/2023 publication.)

Since 2010, the five Arctic NAVAREA/METAREAs have promulgated warnings and forecasts to their areas of responsibility using INMARSAT-C’s rectangular area addressing capability. At that time, it was not possible to code older Inmarsat-C receivers to receive warnings and forecasts directly addressed to the Arctic NAVAREA/METAREAs.

All Inmarsat-C and Mini-C receivers available for purchase today are able to receive warnings and forecasts addressed to the Arctic NAVAREA/METAREAs, and have been for more than a decade.

Effective on January 1st, 2024, the Arctic NAVAREA/METAREAs will commence broadcasting their warnings and forecasts using their unique numeric identifier and will cease using rectangular addressing.

During 2023, the Arctic NAVAREA/METAREAs will transmit test messages using the numeric NAVAREA/METAREA identifier to allow mariners to verify reception on their Inmarsat-C or Mini-C receivers.

Mariners navigating in Arctic waters must ensure that their Inmarsat-C or Mini-C receiver detects the new encoding prior to January 1st, 2024 to continue receiving Arctic NAVAREA/METAREA warnings and forecasts.

*205/23Vancouver Fraser Port Authority – Anchorage Code of Conduct

(Recurrent publication of notice *205/23, originally published in the Notices to Mariners – Monthly Western Edition 02/2023 publication.)

Purpose of the Code of Conduct:

–The objective of the anchorage code of conduct is to promote enhanced ship safety and environmental protection, while also reducing the effects of ship movements on local communities. Anchorages in Southern British Columbia lie in significantly eco-sensitive coastal waters and have the potential to affect the quality of life for neighbouring coastal and Indigenous communities unless strict mitigations, including the minimization of noise and light pollution, are taken.

–The anchorage code of conduct applies to all anchorages assigned and managed by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, and shall apply at all times, except when instructed by the port authority or the Canadian Coast Guard, and in emergencies when it is the responsibility of the Master to take any and all action to ensure safety of their vessel consistent with the prevailing circumstances and conditions.

Accessing the anchorage code of conduct:

–The code of conduct applies to all anchorages assigned by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority both within the Port of Vancouver and the Southern Gulf Islands.

–The code of conduct is accessed via the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s Port Information Guide available at https://www.portvancouver.com/marine-operations/.

*310/23Canadian Coast Guard – Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS) in Canada

(Recurrent publication of notice *310/23, originally published in the Notices to Mariners – Monthly Western Edition 03/2023 publication.)

Reference: Notice *1206/22 is cancelled.

On December 15th, 2022, the Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) permanently discontinued the provision of its DGPS service across Canada.

Today’s GPS meets the needs of international Position, Navigation and Timing (PNT) requirements for maritime navigation. Further, for mariners in Canadian waters, there is no carriage requirement for ground - or space - based augmentation capability onboard vessels for Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS).

Mariners should note that CCG DGPS sites may broadcast corrections on occasion for technology testing. During these testing, the DGPS corrections broadcasted should not be considered reliable for marine navigation.

*501/23Canadian Hydrographic Service – Nautical Charts

*502/23Canadian Hydrographic Service – Electronic Navigational Charts

*503/23Transport Canada – Ship Safety Bulletins #06, #07, #08 and #09/2023

New Ship Safety Bulletins have recently been posted on the Transport Canada website.
To view or download these bulletins, please click on the links below:
SSB#06/2023 – Temporary Measures Regarding Marine Medical Certificates, April 2023
RDIMS# 19413369
SSB#07/2023 – Temporary Measures Regarding Marine Personnel Certificates– Excluding Marine Medical Certificates
RDIMS# 19413449
SSB#08/2023 – Enhanced environmental measures for the 2023 cruise season
RDIMS# 19329417
SSB#09/2023 – New Greenhouse Gas Reporting Requirements
RDIMS# 19125977
Sign up for e-Bulletin to receive an e-mail notice each time a new Ship Safety Bulletin is published on our website.
Contact us at marinesafety-securitemaritime@tc.gc.ca or 1-855-859-3123 (Toll Free).

*504/23Canadian Coast Guard Publication – Amendments to Notices to Mariners Annual Edition 2023 - Section A2, Notice 5A: General Regulatory Requirements for all Oceans Act Marine Protected Areas

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Slow down to 10 knots or less (yellow area): To reduce the risk of underwater noise disturbance and collisions with whales within this area, it is recommended that vessels should slow down to a maximum speed through the water of 10 knots, remain in the navigation and marked community supply channels and post a lookout.

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DELETE AS FOLLOWS:

Slow down to 10 knots or less (yellow area): To reduce the risk of underwater noise disturbance and collisions with whales within this area, it is recommended that vessels should slow down to a maximum speed through the water of 10 knots, remain in the navigation and marked community supply channels and post a lookout.

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*505/23Canadian Hydrographic Service – Magnetic Declination Calculations

Mariners are advised that CHS has adopted the harmonized World Magnetic Model (WMM), as found on the NCEI/NOAA website. Old compass rose declination information on CHS navigational products can be updated using this website: https://www.ngdc.noaa.gov/geomag/calculators/magcalc.shtml#declination. While the differences in the model declinations are small each year, they can become more significant over a large period of time.

*506/23Canadian Hydrographic Service – Chart 3811 Partially Replaced by New Chart 3813

Chart 3811, Plans - Harbours in Queen Charlotte Islands/Havres dans Îles de la Reine-Charlotte, has been partially replaced by new chart 3813. The only plan replaced is Port Louis and/et Otard Bay plan. Remaining plans will be cancelled at a later date.

*508/23Anguniaqvia Niqiqyuam Marine Protected Areas (ANMPA) and Tarium Niryutait Marine Protected Areas (TNMPA) – Beluga and Bowhead Whale Protection: Voluntary Avoidance and Slowdown Areas

The two established Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) in Canada’s Western Arctic are located within the Inuvialuit Settlement Region, as such all activities must comply with the Inuvialuit Final Agreement. Protection and preservation of Arctic wildlife, the environment and biological productivity is one of the principles of the Inuvialuit Final Agreement and it is this principle that led the Inuvialuit Regional Corporation and the Inuvialuit Game Council to initiate establishment of the Western Arctic MPAs. The waters in and near the MPAs, and the offshore marine habitats of the Beaufort Sea and Amundsen Gulf, are important summer foraging habitats used seasonally (May-October) by the Eastern Beaufort Sea beluga stock, and the Bering-Chukchi-Beaufort bowhead population.

REGULATORY PROTECTION MEASURES

All whale species are protected under the Marine Mammal Regulations, pursuant to the Fisheries Act. Within the boundaries of the MPAs, a general prohibition is set out in the Regulations, pursuant to the Oceans Act. Any incident with a marine mammal within the MPAs must be reported within two hours after its occurrence, to the Canadian Coast Guard. For marine wildlife sightings and incidents such as collisions that occur outside the MPAs or for any situation involving a marine mammal that is dead or in trouble, contact Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Inuvik office at (867) 777-7500.
For more information on the ANMPA and TNMPA, including local contacts and species specific minimum distances, see Section A2 - Notices 5 and 5A.3 of the Notices to Mariners Annual Edition 2023.

VOLUNTARY PROTECTION MEASURES

Voluntary measures are in effect from June 1^st to October 31^st, 2023. See map above.
These measures apply to merchant vessels, cruise ships, small vessels and adventure craft within the boundaries of the MPAs and the additional identified areas to prevent collisions with whales and to mitigate the underwater noise generated by the vessels. These measures should only be taken when they will not jeopardize navigational safety.

Avoid (red area): To reduce the risk of underwater noise disturbance and collisions with whales within the MPAs, vessels should avoid transiting through the MPAs if possible. If passage through this area is required, vessels should slow down to a maximum speed through the water of 10 knots and post a lookout such as a marine mammal observer in order to increase the chances of seeing the whales and thus taking necessary measures to avoid them. If bypassing the whales is not possible, slow down and wait for the animals to move away to a distance greater than 400 metres (0.215 nautical miles) before resuming original speed up to 10 knots. It is more difficult to see the animals in rain, fog, or in rough sea states, therefore increased caution is recommended.

Slow down to 10 knots or less (yellow area): To reduce the risk of underwater noise disturbance and collisions with whales within this area, it is recommended that vessels should slow down to a maximum speed through the water of 10 knots, remain in the marked community supply channels and post a lookout.

These voluntary measures are secondary to rights under the Inuvialuit Final Agreement.

MPA Coordinates

The Tarium Niryutait Marine Protected Areas consist of three areas of the Mackenzie Bay: Okeevik, Kittigaryuit and Niaqunnaq. The three areas are bounded by rhumb lines connecting the following geographical coordinates [North America Datum 1983 (NAD 83)/World Geodetic System (WGS 84)].

The Anguniaqvia niqiqyuam Marine Protected Areas consist of two areas in Darnley Bay and Amundsen Gulf in the Beaufort Sea: Zone 1 and Zone 2. The areas consist of the seabed, the subsoil to a depth of five metres and the water column, including the sea ice. The two areas are bounded by straight lines connecting the following geographical coordinates [North America Datum 1983 (NAD 83)].

Section 1A: Temporary and Preliminary Notices

Reminder – Comment Period for Active Preliminary Notices

No notices applicable for this edition.

No notices applicable for this edition.

No notices applicable for this edition.

No notices applicable for this edition.

No notices applicable for this edition.