Reporting Areas

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REPORTING AREAS. The MSR encompasses two distinct reporting areas. The northeast

boundaries of this area include the waters of Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts Bay, and the Great

South Channel east and southeast of Massachusetts. Coordinates of the area are as follows:

from a point on Cape Ann, Massachusetts at 4239'.00N, 70 37'.00W; then northeast to

4245'.00N, 70 13'.00W; then southeast to 4210'.00N, 68 31'.00W; then south to 4100'.00N, 68

31'.00W; then west to 4100'.00N, 69 17'.00W; then northwest to 4205'.00N, 70 02'.00W; then

west to 4204'.00N, 70 10'.00W; and then along the Massachusetts shoreline of Cape Cod and

Massachusetts Bay back to the point on Cape Ann at 4239'.00N, 70 37'.00W [NOAA Chart

No. 13009 (see enclosure (1))]. The southeast area, WHALESSOUTH, protects the only

known right whale calving grounds and operates from 15 November through 15 April. The

geographic boundaries of the southeast reporting area include coastal waters within about 25

nautical miles along a 90 nautical mile stretch of the Atlantic seaboard in Florida and Georgia.

The area extends from the shoreline east to longitude 8051'.60W, with the southernorthern

boundaries at latitudes 30 00'.00N and 3127'.00N, respectively [NOAA Chart No. 11009 (see

enclosure (2))].

REPORTING METHODS FOR COMMERCIAL VESSELS. The Coast Guard obtained a

contractor to construct and operate the MSR communication system and database. Accounting

for the numerous responsibilities and demands on our communication facilities, operational

units, and merchant mariners, the MSR was designed as an automatic system. It is estimated

that 95 percent of commercial vessel traffic will be able to report via INMARSAT C, the

primary reporting method. The remaining five percent will use other satellite communications,

or will be urged to report to the Coast Guard Communication Area Master Station Atlantic

(CAMSLANT). However, the Coast Guard can not mandate the method by which a vessel can

report into the system and can only recommend vessels follow the prescribed reporting

methods. Upon entry to either WHALESNORTH or WHALESSOUTH, all vessels meeting

the reporting requirements must report pertinent vessel information to the Coast Guard via the

MSR. Ships are required to report directly to the MSR system and should not use e-mail

batching or routing service companies, which can delay the receipt of MSR reply messages.

Ship reportbe made via the recommended communication methods, which are listed below in

order of precedence:

Report directly via INMARSAT C to one of the following addresses: E-mail:

RightWhale.MSR@noaa.gov or Telex: 236737831

Vessels not equipped with INMARSAT C should report via alternate satellite

communications equipment directly to one of the following addresses: E-mail:

RightWhale.MSR@noaa.gov or Telex: 236737831