Operations in Foreign Waters
Overview
The United States recognizes that countries have jurisdiction over marine scientific research within their Territorial Seas (TS) and Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZ) . Consequently, should U.S. marine science research interests lie within the TS or EEZ of another country, written authorization from the respective country must be obtained prior to the start of the cruise.
Procedure
- It is the responsibility of the Chief Scientist to inform the Marine Superintendent well in advance and in detail of:
- any plans to work within the 200 mile limit of a foreign country, and
- any desired port call in a foreign country
- The application lead time for some countries can be up to 7 months. The Marine Superintendent will provide and assist you with the EEZ Authorization request documentation. The Marine Superintendent will be the Submitting Officer for this document but will require information from the Chief Scientist not limited to CV, passport photo, cruise plan and a stations chart.
- The Submitting Officer will be contacted immediately by the Department of State if further documentation is requested from the foreign authorities.
- Once a final response is obtained from the foreign authorities, the Department of State will fax the authorization paperwork to the Submitting Officer who will forward the document to the Chief Scientist and Master.
Please Note:
- It is the responsibility of the Chief Scientist to obtain and possess, during the cruise, a valid CITES collection permit, if applicable.
- Official observers or scientific participants may have to be carried onboard the ship or be involved in the processing of the scientific results. Additional port calls may be necessary to accommodate foreign observers. The host nation may require sharing of samples and data; at a minimum they require copies of technical reports and papers.
- Transportation and subsistence costs for foreign participation may have to be provided. These costs are the responsibility of the Chief Scientist.
Foreign Clearance Information
- Information on Working in Foreign Ports and Foreign Waters can be found: here
- The State Department's website on Foreign Clearance Information can be found: here
Cruise Plan Changes/Cancellations
Once written authorization is obtained, any and all changes to the itinerary, scientific plan, and ship specifications must be reported to the Department of State immediately. The Department of State will transmit this information to the appropriate foreign authorities for additional coastal state authorization or notification.
Post-Cruise Obligations
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Preliminary Cruise Report Form - After the research cruise is conducted, the Chief Scientist is obligated to submit a Preliminary Cruise Report Form. The Department of State requests that the Preliminary Cruise Report Form be completed and mailed no later than 30 days following the end date of the scientific cruise. A chartlet showing the actual track for the cruise must be attached to this form. The State Department File number can be obtained from the Marine Superintendent.
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Final Cruise Report - Final cruise reports must be delivered to the Department of State by the deadlines listed in the Preliminary Cruise Report Form. If the Chief Scientist cannot supply the data according to the schedule listed on the Preliminary Cruise Report Form, he/she must request, in writing, an extension from the Department of State. The Chief Scientist must provide the appropriate number of copies and translations of the final cruise report for each clearance-granting coastal state. Since the final cruise report may consist of one or a combination of data tapes, websites, CDs, published articles, etc., each item must be clearly labeled with both the Department of State file number and the name of the country to which the material is due.
All post-cruise obligations should be directed to:
U.S. Department of State
OES/OA, Room 2758
2201 C Street, NW
Washington, DC 20520
Tel: 202-647-0238/0240
Fax: 202-647-1106
MarineScience@state.gov
