[CINC] Change to Traffic Separation Scheme in SB Channel

[Dean Benjamin]

Below is a section from the Local Notice to Mariners, Department of Homeland
Security, US Coast Guard District 11 regarding the changes to the Santa
Barbara Channel Traffic Separation Scheme. We knew this was coming but it
became effective 5/31/13. 

 

It means that the Coast Guard has altered shipping patterns in deference to
whales. Hooray. 

 

It also means that if you are a boater, when your existing paper and GPS
charts show you to be in the "southern" half of the separation zone (shaded
pink on the charts), you are in fact be in the southbound shipping lane. In
addition, when your charts show you to be in the southbound shipping lanes,
you are not. Be mindful of these changes. 

 

You can observe this directly on the displays onboard the vessels we serve.
You should be able to see ships heading toward LA in the separation zone
(pink areas on the display).

 

In addition to these changes to the traffic separation scheme, the actual
Whale Advisory Zone designated in the local notice to mariners is a vast
area. It is a line due south from Point Arguello intersecting a line due
west from Dana Point. This includes Santa Barbara Island and the northern
tip of Santa Catalina Island. If you would like to see this chart, click on
this link to the local notice to mariners.
http://navcen.uscg.gov/pdf/lnms/lnm11282013.pdf pages 38, and 39. Our rain
list data limitations prevent me from including these charts.

 

Dean

 

SANTA BARBARA CHANNEL TRAFFIC SEPARATION SCHEME AMENDMENT

The International Maritime Organization (IMO) amended the Traffic Separation
Scheme (TSS) in the Santa Barbara Channel and the approach to

the ports of Los Angeles/Long Beach, effective 1700 Pacific Standard Time
May 31, 2013. The TSS amendment reduces the width of the

separation zone from 2 nautical miles (nm) to 1 nm by shifting the inbound
lane shoreward and away from known whale concentrations. The

outbound lane remains unchanged in the current location. Narrowing the
separation zone is expected to reduce co-occurrence of ships and

whales while maintaining navigation safety. The IMO approved coordinates and
graphic depicting the enclosed changes are provided in the

enclosures section.

 

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