The purpose of this part is to:

(a) Prescribe procedures for establishing different types of limited or controlled access areas and regulated navigation areas;

(b) Prescribe general regulations for different types of limited or controlled access areas and regulated navigation areas;

(c) Prescribe specific requirements for established areas; and

(d) List specific areas and their boundaries.

The following definitions apply to this part:

Credential means any or all of the following:

(1) Merchant mariner's document.

(2) Merchant mariner's license.

(3) STCW endorsement.

(4) Certificate of registry.

(5) Merchant mariner credential.

Merchant mariner credential or MMC means the credential issued by the Coast Guard under 46 CFR part 10. It combines the individual merchant mariner's document, license, and certificate of registry enumerated in 46 U.S.C. subtitle II part E as well as the STCW endorsement into a single credential that serves as the mariner's qualification document, certificate of identification, and certificate of service.

(a) A safety zone, security zone, or regulated navigation area may be established on the initiative of any Coast Guard official authorized to issue such an order in accordance with 33 CFR 1.05-1.

(b) Any person may request that a safety zone, security zone, or regulated navigation area be established. Except as provided in paragraph (c) of this section, each request must be submitted in writing to either the Captain of the Port or District Commander having jurisdiction over the location as described in part 3 of this chapter, and include the following:

(1) The name of the person submitting the request;

(2) The location and boundaries of the safety zone, security zone, or regulated navigation area;

(3) The date, time, and duration that the safety zone, security zone, or regulated navigation area should be established;

(4) A description of the activities planned for the safety zone, security zone, or regulated navigation area;

(5) The nature of the restrictions or conditions desired; and

(6) The reason why the safety zone, security zone, or regulated navigation area is necessary.

(c) Safety Zones and Security Zones. If, for good cause, the request for a safety zone or security zone is made less than 5 working days before the zone is to be established, the request may be made orally, but it must be followed by a written request within 24 hours.

(a) The establishment of these limited access areas and regulated navigation areas is considered rulemaking. The procedures used to notify persons of the establishment of these areas vary depending upon the circumstances and emergency conditions. Notification may be made by marine broadcasts, local notice to mariners, local news media, distribution in leaflet form, and on-scene oral notice, as well as publication in the Federal Register.

(b) Notification normally contains the physical boundaries of the area, the reasons for the rule, its estimated duration, and the method of obtaining authorization to enter the area, if applicable, and special navigational rules, if applicable.

Geographic coordinates expressed in terms of latitude or longitude, or both, are not intended for plotting on maps or charts whose referenced horizontal datum is the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD 83), unless such geographic coordinates are expressly labeled NAD 83. Geographic coordinates without the NAD 83 reference may be plotted on maps or charts referenced to NAD 83 only after application of the appropriate corrections that are published on the particular map or chart being used.

(a) General. The geographic application of the limited and controlled access areas and regulated navigation areas in this part are determined based on the statutory authority under which each is created.

(b) Safety zones and regulated navigation areas. These zones and areas are created under the authority of 46 U.S.C. 70001-70041. Safety zones established under 46 U.S.C. 70116 and regulated navigation areas may be established in waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States as defined in § 2.38 of this chapter, including the territorial sea to a seaward limit of 12 nautical miles from the baseline.

(c) Security zones. These zones have two sources of authority—46 U.S.C. Chapter 700, and the Act of June 15, 1917, as amended by both the Magnuson Act of August 9, 1950 (“Magnuson Act”), 46 U.S.C. 70051-54,and. 104 the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 (Pub. L. 107-295, 116 Stat. 2064). Security zones established under either 46 U.S.C. 70116 or 46 U.S.C. 70051 may be established in waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States as defined in § 2.38 of this chapter, including the territorial sea to a seaward limit of 12 nautical miles from the baseline.

(d) Naval vessel protection zones. These zones are issued under the authority of 14 U.S.C. 503 and 527 and may be established in waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States as defined in § 2.38 of this chapter, including the territorial sea to a seaward limit of 12 nautical miles from the baseline.