161.55—Vessel Traffic Service Puget Sound and the Cooperative Vessel Traffic Service for the Juan de Fuca Region.
The Vessel Traffic Service Puget Sound area consists of the navigable waters of the United States bounded by a line drawn from the Washington State coastline at 48°23′08″ N., 124°43′37″ W. on Cape Flattery to the Cape Flattery Light at 48°23′30″ N., 124°44′12″ W. on Tatoosh Island, due west to the U.S. Territorial Sea Boundary; thence northward along the U.S. Territorial Sea Boundary to its intersection with the U.S./Canada International Boundary; thence east along the U.S./Canada International Boundary through the waters known as the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Haro Strait, Boundary Pass, and the Strait of Georgia to the Washington State coastline at 49°00′06″ N., 122°45′18″ W. (International Boundary Range C Rear Light). This area includes: Puget Sound, Hood Canal, Possession Sound, the San Juan Island Archipelago, Rosario Strait, Guemes Channel, Bellingham Bay, the U.S. waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Strait of Georgia, and all waters adjacent to the above.
(a)
Vessel Traffic Service Puget Sound participates in a U.S./Canadian Cooperative Vessel Traffic Service (CVTS) to jointly manage vessel traffic in the Juan de Fuca Region. The CVTS for the Juan de Fuca Region consists of all waters of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and its offshore approaches, southern Georgia Strait, the Gulf and San Juan Archipelagos, Rosario Strait, Boundary Pass and Haro Strait, bounded on the northwest by 48°35′45″ N.; and on the southwest by 48°23′30″ N.; and on the west by the rhumb line joining 48°35′45″ N., 124°47′30″ W. with 48°23′30″ N., 124°48′37″ W.; and on the northeast in the Strait of Georgia, by a line drawn along 49° N. from Vancouver Island to Semiahmoo Bay; and on the southeast, by a line drawn from McCurdy Point on the Quimper Peninsula to Point Partridge on Whidbey Island. Canadian and United States Vessel Traffic Centers (Tofino, B.C., Canada, Vancouver, BC, Canada and Seattle, WA) manage traffic within the CVTS area irrespective of the International Boundary.
(b)
VTS Special Areas. (1) The Rosario Strait VTS Special Area consists of those waters bounded to the south by the center of Precautionary Area “RB” (a circular area of 2,500 yards radius centered at 48°26′24″ N., 122°45′12″ W.), and to the north by the center of Precautionary Area “C” (a circular area of 2,500 yards radius centered at 48°40′34″ N., 122°42′44″ W.; Lighted Buoy “C”); and
Code of Federal Regulations
(2)
The Guemes Channel VTS Special Area consists of those waters bounded to the west by Shannon Point on Fidalgo Island and to the east by Southeast Point on Guemes Island.
(c)
Additional VTS Special Area Operating Requirements. The following additional requirements are applicable in the Rosario Strait and Guemes Channel VTS Special Areas:
(1)
A vessel engaged in towing shall not impede the passage of a vessel of 40,000 dead weight tons or more.
(2)
A vessel of less than 40,000 dead weight tons is exempt from the provision set forth in § 161.13(b)(1) of this part.
(3)
A vessel of less than 100 meters in length is exempt from the provisions set forth in § 161.13(b)(3) of this part. Approval will not be granted for:
(i)
A vessel of 100 meters or more in length to meet or overtake; or cross or operate within 2,000 yards (except when crossing astern) of a vessel of 40,000 dead weight tons or more; or
(ii)
A vessel of 40,000 dead weight tons or more to meet or overtake; or cross or operate within 2,000 yards (except when crossing astern) of a vessel of 100 meters or more in length.