32 JUNE 2019 • FOGHORN HOW PVA BENEFITS YOU awareness and enforcement actions against these offenders. The Coast Guard reported that it has conducted 651 enforcement actions against illegal charter operators over the last three years. These include issuing civil penalties and even detaining vessels that are involved in illegal charters. Regarding sharing the waterways and improving safe interactions with recreational boaters, the Quality Partnership has helped make good progress on raising awareness and growing outreach on this issue. At previous QP meetings, PVA asked Coast Guard officials to update and SCHEDULE A DEMO W W W . S T A R B O A R D S U I T E . C O M EFFORTLESS RESERVATIONS + TICKETING for Passenger Vessels and Water Sports EFFORTLESS CONTRACTS for Charters, Schools, and Tour Groups Integrated online, phone and walk-up bookings Automated confirmation, reminder and follow-up emails Marketing and Search Engine Optimization (SEO) Personalized set-up, training and support included Custom PDF contracts with fully-trackable versioning Support for private charters, schools and tour groups Detailed reports for event planning and financial tracking Resource tracking for multi-use inventory Manage your entire business from a single, integrated platform Public Tickets & Private Charters ...together at last distribute the safety resource “Guide to Multi-Use Waterways.”PVA is pleased to see the recent boating safety grant program sought applicants who would update the “Guide to Multi-Use Waterways” safety toolkit. PVA offered to assist the future grantee as a resource for providing insights from the com- mercial passenger vessel industry’s perspective. Additionally, PVA made a presentation to the Coast Guard’s National Boating Safety Advisory Council meeting on this topic. This presentation spurred several projects by recreational boating safety groups that promote education and awareness, and PVA has had the opportunity to provide input and work collaboratively on these projects as well. Also at this Quality Partnership meeting, PVA asked Coast Guard participants for updates on several open items. Regarding the elimination of the requirement to take a radar observer refresher training course or re-certification course for mariners who have previously completed radar observer training, PVA asked about when this change would take effect. Additionally, following up on the Association’s comments, PVA asked about the proposed Coast Guard Merchant Mariner Medical Manual, including when the manual will be finalized and how often it will be re- evaluated. The Coast Guard stated they would provide responses to these questions following the meeting. PVA was also briefed at the QP meeting on fleet safety statistics, which help inform the PVA Safety and Security Committee as to what tools and resources may need to be created or updated. PVA appreciates these important Quality Partnership meetings with the Coast Guard and looks forward their continued success for many years to come. n