Fishermen are our
first line of defense

Well, there's a new program being launched by the U.S. Coast Guard that needs the help of everyone who lives, works or plays around Hawaii's waterways.

This new initiative is called "America's Waterway Watch" and, like World War II's Coast Watch program, it is being set up to assist the Coast Guard in keeping our waterways and coastlines secure from the threat of attack.

The difference now is that instead of watching for enemy vessels, aircraft or saboteurs, volunteers are asked to watch for an enemy that chooses to attack using the unconventional warfare of terrorists.

Another major difference is that the Coast Guard is hoping everyone from tugboat captains and marina operators, to fishermen and weekend sailors will participate in the program, rather than just select uniformed personnel.

As the Coast Guard notes, with more than 95,000 miles of shoreline to protect (750 miles of which is in Hawaii), it and other first-responders cannot do the job alone. So who better to offer kokua than those of us who spend much of our time on or near the water?

The program it is instigating is similar to the police department's Neighborhood Watch program. That is, the Coast Guard is asking us to start being more alert for anything that looks out of the ordinary and to report any suspicious behavior.

Those of us who live along our shorelines and waterways can easily recognize behavior that is inconsistent with the activities we usually see. And the same holds true for longshoremen, dock masters, charter boat captains, recreational boaters, or outrigger paddlers.

Everyone is asked to report any unusual surveillance of ships or facility operations, unattended boats near bridges, unusual underwater diving activity in harbors, unauthorized vessels operating in restricted areas, or any other suspicious activity.

And, it is stressed, suspicious activities should be considered within the "totality of conduct." For instance, a boat entering Honolulu Harbor may not be unusual. But, if it's entering at night, with no running lights, and it is running at a high rate of speed, there should be a reason to be suspicious.

"It is not our intent to spread paranoia or encourage spying on one another," the Coast Guard has said. "Instead, it is a simple deterrent to potential terrorist activity."

If immediate action appears to be called for, the Coast Guard suggests contacting them on Marine Radio Channel 16, or to call the police dispatcher at 911.

However, on observing an activity such as someone making suspicious surveillance, reports should be made to the National Response Center by calling (800) 424-8802.

In any case, it should be understood that no one should ever approach or engage someone they believe is acting in a suspicious manner.