Notices of violation include a $500 fine for the activists
The US Coast Guard announced that thedetained 24 people on waters of Elliott Bay in Seattle for violating the safety zone around the vessel Polar Pioneer have been released. The individuals have been issued notices of violation that include a $500 fine. The vessel is now transiting north into the Strait of Juan de Fuca.
Coast Guard and partner agency law enforcement personnel detained 24 people who violated the 500-yard safety zone established around the Polar Pioneer.Early on the morning of June 15, 2015, kayaktivists confronted Shell’s Polar Pioneer drilling rig as it attempted to leave Seattle for Arctic waters, Greenpeace said.
“The Coast Guard and our agency partners are committed to maintaining the integrity of navigable waterways and protecting the safety of the maritime public,” said Capt. Joe Raymond, commander of Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound, in Seattle. “Individuals were detained after violating the established safety zone but there were no reports of injuries and we encourage anyone on the water to make safety their number one priority.”
Coast Guard assets will continue to enforce the safety zone around the Polar Pioneer’s transit north into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. Planned protest activity is expected along the way and the Coast Guard will continue to manage waterway safety specifically commercial traffic within the shipping lanes.
OnApril 28, the Coast Guard established 100-yard safety zones around Arctic drilling and support vessels while moored or anchored, and a 500-yard safety zone while transiting to allow maximum use of the waterway by all users consistent with safe navigation. Coast Guard officials can seek a maximum civil penalty of $40,000 for each entry into the zone or day the individuals violated the zone.