BOSTON – The Boston-based Coast Guard Cutter Escanaba returned to its homeport after a 36-day patrol in the North Atlantic, Tuesday.
While out on patrol, the medium-endurance cutter focused on fisheries missions in support of Operation Atlantic Venture.
Escanaba’s crew conducted 26 law enforcement boardings during the patrol. Crew members measured fishing gear, inspected daily catch limits and ensured that vessels’ safety gear was in good, working order.
The cutter crew also conducted 46 training evolutions with the crew of an MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter crew from Coast Guard Air Station Cape Cod. By ensuring compliance within the fishing fleet, the Coast Guard ensures mariners are safe and resources are protected to sustain the $816 million fishing industry.
Operation Atlantic Venture supports maritime safety, security and stewardship missions in the water from Maine to northern New Jersey.
The Boston-based Escanaba is a 270-foot medium endurance cutter with missions in search and rescue, fisheries regulation enforcement, maritime homeland security, alien migrant interdiction, and counter drug operations.
The Escanaba, along with the service’s 26 other medium endurance cutters, is slated to be replaced by a new fleet of Offshore Patrol Cutters that will have the endurance to operate more than 50 miles offshore to carry out the Coast Guard’s maritime security and safety missions.
The OPC will be an economical, multi-mission ship, providing pursuit boat and helicopter capabilities and interagency interoperability. Its advanced technical features include modern sensors and enhanced surveillance capabilities necessary to detect threats far from U.S. shores and meet the demands of the Coast Guard’s homeland security, search and rescue, law enforcement and other vital missions.
