For the first time ever in Florida, state and federal crews stationed aboard offshore patrol vessels and aircraft will train together in the Tampa Bay area. The four-day comprehensive training exercise that runs through this weekend is a joint venture of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), the United States Coast Guard (USCG) and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Office of Law Enforcement.

Their mission: develop seamless, integrated patrols that better protect the public from terrorist activities, enhance safety of life at sea and conserve Florida’s bountiful marine resources.

“The impetus for this exercise is an outgrowth of FWC’s increased offshore presence in marine fisheries enforcement. Since the Coast Guard and the FWC are both involved in homeland security, search-and-rescue operations and other similar offshore missions there’s an obvious need to coordinate and strengthen ties between our agencies,” said Capt. Brad Williams, FWC event coordinator.

In recent years the FWC has acquired a fleet of six offshore patrol vessels of various sizes and capabilities as a result of cooperative agreements with NOAA. Some of the newer vessels are high-speed, state of the art designs, capable of speeds in excess of 40 knots under rough sea conditions. These unique designs are also equipped with infrared television monitors and other space-age technologies.

On the water training will involve search-and-rescue operations, vessel boardings under hostile situations, and zero-visibility navigation. Classroom topics include fish identification, and joint air operations. A demonstration of NOAA’s new Vessel Monitoring System, used to track movements of fishing vessels in the Gulf of Mexico is also on the classroom agenda.

If you would like more information this or other FWC Division of Law Enforcement activities, visit MyFWC.com. Visit uscg.mil for information on Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg.