b'COAST GUARD REPORTCoast Guard Increases Enforcement of Illegal Charters and Rail JumpingI n recent months, the U.S. Coast Guard has been activelythe lives of others on board, said Commander Brian rooting out and penalizing those who conduct illegalMcSorley, deputy sector commander of Coast Guard Sector charters and also jump from passenger vessels.Southeastern New England. Commercial passenger vessel crews are responsible for the Rail Jumpers Fined safety of all passengers aboard The Coast Guard fi ned twotheir vessels, and in this case, teenagers $2,500 each for in- their attention was diverted tentionally jumping into theaway from the safe operation water over ferry railings inof the vessel in order to try separate incidents this summerand retrieve the jumper from in Boston. the water.Under federal law, anyone who jumps off a passengerIllegal Charters Shut Downvessel is considered to be inter- Coast Guard officers detain illegal charter boat operator.In July and August, fering with the safe operationSource: U.S. Coast Guard. Coast Guard officials were of the vessel. The penalties forbusy stopping several illegal the violation can be as much as $35,000. PVA was instrumen- charter operators in waterways around the country. Two tal in persuading Congress to enact the rail jumper law. chartered operations in the Miami were shut down in Jumping into the water from a certifi cated passengerseparate incidents. One was a 23-foot Hurricane vessel with vessel, such as a tour boat or charter vessel, is not only12 passengers that had several violations and face steep dangerous for the person jumping, but it also endangersfi nes that was discovered after the Florida Fish and Wildlife 26 SEPTEMBER 2019FOGHORN'