Imagery Available: Coast Guard, Navy complete joint OMSI patrol in Pacific Ocean

U.S. Coast Guard sent this bulletin at 04/30/2018 04:58 PM EDT

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News Release  

U.S. Coast Guard 14th District Hawaii and the Pacific
Contact: 14th District Public Affairs
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Imagery Available: Coast Guard, Navy complete joint OMSI patrol in Pacific Ocean

180328-N-LN093-0001 PACIFIC OCEAN (March 28, 2018) U.S. Coast Guardsmen along with Sailors assigned to the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) approach a foreign-flagged fishing vessel during an Oceania Maritime Security Initiative (OMSI) boarding mission. The OMSI program is a secretary of defense program leveraging Department of Defense assets transiting the region to increase the Coast Guard’s maritime domain awareness, ultimately supporting its maritime law enforcement operations in Oceania. Michael Murphy is currently operating in the Western Pacific as part of the Carl Vinson Strike Group. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jasen Morenogarcia/Released)   180402-N-LN093-0162 PACIFIC OCEAN (April 2, 2018) A member from U.S. Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment climbs down to a rigid-hull inflatable boat during an Oceania Maritime Security Initiative (OMSI) boarding mission. The OMSI program is a secretary of defense program leveraging Department of Defense assets transiting the region to increase the Coast Guard’s maritime domain awareness, ultimately supporting its maritime law enforcement operations in Oceania. Michael Murphy is currently operating in the Western Pacific as part of the Carl Vinson Strike Group. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jasen Morenogarcia/Released)   180329-N-LN093-0084 PACIFIC OCEAN (March 29, 2018) A U.S. Coast Guardsman observes the fishing process of a foreign-flagged fishing vessel during an Oceania Maritime Security Initiative (OMSI) boarding mission. The OMSI program is a secretary of defense program leveraging Department of Defense assets transiting the region to increase the Coast Guard’s maritime domain awareness, ultimately supporting its maritime law enforcement operations in Oceania. Michael Murphy is currently operating in the Western Pacific as part of the Carl Vinson Strike Group. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jasen Morenogarcia/Released)

Editors Note: Click on images to download high resolution version.

HONOLULU — The Coast Guard and Navy completed a 24-day joint mission in the Western and Central Pacific under the Oceania Maritime Security Initiative to combat transnational crimes, enforce fisheries laws and enhance regional security, Wednesday.

A Coast Guard Law Enforcement Detachment from Tactical Law Enforcement Team Pacific embarked USS Michael Murphy (DDG 112) and conducted 11 fisheries enforcement boardings with the assistance of the ship’s visit, board, search and seizure team and law enforcement shipriders from the Federated States of Micronesia and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.

All boardings were conducted in the exclusive economic zones; eight were in Federated States of Micronesia and four in Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Coast Guard teams and Pacific Island Nation shipriders routinely conduct combined boardings within the host country's exclusive economic zones to protect the ocean and the living marine resources within.

Boarding teams conducted inspections of the vessels to ensure compliance with individual nation’s laws and regulations and conservation management measures.

“The goal of combined efforts by the Navy and Coast Guard through the Oceania Maritime Security Initiative mission is to combat transnational crime threats, including narco-trafficking, human trafficking, and illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing,” Lt. Cmdr. Kenji Awamura, district response enforcement operations planner at Coast Guard 14th District. “In keeping with USS Michael Murphy’s motto, OMSI 'Leads the Fight' in combating these activities. IUU fishing undermines efforts to conserve and manage global fish stocks and negatively impacts economies of Oceania States. In partnership with Australia, New Zealand, France, and the Pacific Island nations, OMSI promotes economic and environmental stability throughout Oceania.”

Partnership between the Coast Guard and Navy supports OMSI, a Secretary of Defense program to use Department of Defense assets transiting the Pacific region to build maritime domain awareness, ultimately supporting the Coast Guard's maritime law enforcement operations in Oceania.

“I am proud to say that the crew performed superbly across all mission areas as well as being tremendous ambassadors afloat and ashore for the United States throughout our deployment,” said Cmdr. Kevin Louis, commanding officer of USS Michael Murphy.

The Coast Guard is responsible for patrolling the waters around the numerous islands belonging to the United States throughout the region. Each of these islands has territorial waters stretching out to 12 nautical miles from shore. Beyond that, stretching out to 200 nautical miles is an exclusive economic zone, an area defined by international law that allows each nation exclusive rights to the exploration and use of the marine resources within.

Oceania contains 43 percent, or approximately 1.3 million square miles, of United States' EEZs.

-USCG-