Monday, February 2, 2009

You do NOT belong at sea...


If the email waiting for me this morning is any indication, this is going to be a good week... There is a chap out on the Left Coast with whom we have been doing a back-and-forth with. His first enquiry to us was as follows:

"To whom it may concern:

I am intersted in possibly buying a Commecial prawn boat and I have reveiwed the information I could find on-line (management plan for 2008 - 2009) season. I was wondering if I could get updated information on the 2008 catch. The total pounds caught? Average price and estimated total vaule of catch. The management plan has these for the past few years up to 2007. I would like 2008 if it is availible. I am also wondering if there are certain quification one needs for operating a commercial boat? I would be interested in running a smaller prawn boat under 30 feet in length, aluminum boat. Are there courses a captain needs for such a small boat?

Thank you"

A simple enough request, right? So we answered him with the following:

"Dear Mr.---- ,

Thank you for your e-mail dated 28 January 2009, requesting information on a prawn fishery somewhere in Canada, as well as qualifications required to operate a small commercial fishing vessel. Unfortunately, you have not provided us with enough information to assist you. From which town/city and province in Canada are you writing us? Do you currently hold a commercial fishing license?

Please send us more detailed information in order to help us better identify your needs.

Sincerely,

Us."

This prompted him to provide us with the following answer:

" I live in Victoria BC. And i do not currently have a Commercial licence."

Armed with this vital information we were then able to provide him with the following detailed reply:

"Dear Mr.----,

Thank you for your email dated 29 January 2009, requesting information on commercial fishing in the Pacific Region and the requirements for operating a commercial vessel.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada's Commercial Fishing - Pacific Region program carries out the following activities:
- issues and renews commercial fishing licences and vessel registration numbers
- issues and renews fishers' registration cards and deckhand licences
- sets quotas for certain licences

The program also provides information on the following topics:
- fishery management plans
- selective fishing
- test fishing
- fishing seasons
- fishery notices, such as the openings of commercial fishing zones as well as closures due to red tide and paralytic shellfish poisoning

Please contact your regional office directly for any additional information.

Commercial Fishing - Pacific Region
60 Front Street, Room 304
Nanaimo, BC V9R 5H7

Tel.: 250-754-0400 (Nanaimo) 8 a.m. - 4 p.m. Closed 12 p.m. - 1 p.m.
Fax: 250-754-0403 (Nanaimo)

Information on commercial fishing in the Pacific Region is available at the following URL:
www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/ops/fm/Commercial/index_e.htm

Information on what qualifications you would require to operate a commercial vessel are available through Transport Canada's Personnel Standards and Pilotage Branch.

Transport Canada's Marine Personnel Standards and Pilotage Branch develops policies, standards and regulations related to marine crews, on behalf of the minister of Transport. The Branch also carries out the following activities:
- oversees all marine pilotage regulations
- enforces training standards and approves training courses as well as training course providers (marine schools)
- issues certificates of competency to seafarers and oversees their examination
- issues seafarers identification documents, discharge books and statements of sea service
- keeps a registry of merchant seafarers who served in the Canadian Merchant Navy between 1948 and 1950, and between 1954 and the present
- manages the Marine Emergency Duties (MED) Training Program and its facilities
- provides funding for the purchase of equipment and vehicles as well as for the maintenance of theses items for marine schools

The Branch provides expert advice and technical guidance on the implementation, monitoring and enforcement of the Competency of Pleasure Craft Operators program and programs relating to Marine Occupational Safety and Health Regulations.

Please contact their office for any additional information.

Marine Personnel Standards and Pilotage Branch
Place de Ville, Tower B, 4th Floor, Suite 450
112 Kent Street
Ottawa, ON K1A 0N5

Tel.: 613-991-3120 (Ottawa) 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Fax: 613-990-1538 (Ottawa)

Information on the Marine Personnel Standards and Pilotage Branch is available at the following URL: www.tc.gc.ca/marinesafety/mpsp/menu.htm

A small commercial vessel must be inspected and approved before being pressed into service.

Transport Canada's Small Vessel Monitoring and Inspection Program promotes the safety of small commercial vessels through the following activities:
- inspecting small commercial vessels, including vessel construction and safety equipment
- randomly checking vessels to confirm compliance with safety requirements
- encouraging operators to regularly inspect their vessels
- developing marine safety information and awareness programs
- providing decals for vessels that have been inspected
- providing information on procedures for initial inspections and inspections by the operators

Please contact your regional office for any additional information.

Small Vessel Monitoring and Inspection Program
Marine Safety
1230 Government Street, Suite 501
Victoria, BC V8W 3M4

Tel.: 250-363-0394 (Victoria) 8 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Fax: 250-363-0330 (Victoria)

E-mail: mailto:shipshape@tc.gc.ca

Information on the Small Vessel Monitoring and Inspection Program is available at the following URL: www.tc.gc.ca/marinesafety/debs/small-vessels/SVMIP-upto15.htm

Please do not hesitate to contact us should you require additional information.

Sincerely,

Us."

So... we provided him not only with his regional offices which could provide him with any and all information he might need to know about the commercial prawn fishery in his area of the West Coast (Pacific Region), they would also be able to issue him a license, which of course he will absolutely need.

We provided him with the contracts for Transport Canada, for not only what qualifications he would need to operate a small commercial vessel, but for the local offices who would inspect and certify the vessel, prior to him actually putting it into service.

Briefly, everything he had asked us for and more. A sterling answer if ever we provided one.

What was his reply this morning...?

How about this...

"This email did not answer even one of my questions. Did you forward my email to some one that will answer them?"

Clearly, this lad is a simpleton. And he wants to go and try to earn a living out on the ocean waters? One of the most unforgiving places in the universe, for the slow-witted...??? I have this feeling he has absolutely no idea what he is in for.

I will have to try my damndest to craft an answer which will not point out what a mindless waste of skin this individual is...


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