Coast Guard officials have issued a warning to Alaska’s fishing industry leaders to be on alert for potential Russian naval activities in or near the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands.
The warning was issued on Sept. 3 by Capt. Ryan Waters, chief of enforcement for the 17th U.S. Coast Guard District, with bases in Juneau and Kodiak.
Waters noted that last year Russia issued a HYDROPAC warning — an international notice to mariners — for missile training operations in the Bering Sea commencing on Sept. 14, 2023. The area included a portion of the U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) along the U.S./Russia maritime boundary line.
The Russian Navy conducted missile fire exercises within the U.S. EEZ, which they are permitted to do under the Law of the Sea.
Russian military officials have signaled that they will execute a large military exercise again this year, but as of Sept. 3, Russia has not issued a HYDROPAC warning for the Bering Sea or Aleutian Islands.
Russia has, however, issued a HYDROARC warning for missile and gunnery exercises in the Russian EEZ in the Chukchi Sea for Sept. 10-18.
If Russian or other foreign navies do conduct similar operations this year, Waters said Alaskans can expect the U.S. Coast Guard to respond. Additional details will be shared by his office as they become available, he said.
Waters advised those engaged in commercial fishing that they have an important role in maintaining safety and security of the Alaska maritime region and encouraged them to subscribe to the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency’s HYDROPAC warning system.
“Especially as the Bering Sea and Arctic regions become increasingly competitive on the international stage, you are regularly the first American flagged vessel that sees foreign government vessels,” Waters said.
He asked industry leaders to ask that their fleets continue to report observations of foreign government vessels and monitor and give due regard to HYDROPAC or other safety warnings, regardless of who issues them or whether they extend into the U.S. EEZ.
The 24/7/365 live watch at the 17th Coast Guard District Command Center can be contacted by phone at 907-463-2000 or by email at [email protected], he said.
