Sec. 80.308  Watch required by the Great Lakes Radio Agreement.

    (a) Each ship of the United States that is equipped with a 
radiotelephone station for compliance with the Great Lakes Radio 
Agreement must when underway keep a watch on:
    (1) 156.800 MHz on board a vessel 20 meters (65 feet) and over in 
length, a vessel engaged in towing (See Sec. 80.951(b)), or a vessel 
carrying more than 6 passengers for hire. This watch must be maintained 
whenever the station is not being used for authorized traffic. However, 
a watch on 156.800 MHz need not be maintained by a vessel maintaining a 
watch on the bridge-to-bridge frequency 156.650 MHz and participating in 
a Vessel Traffic Services (VTS) system and maintaining a watch on the 
specified VTS frequency.
    (2) 156.650 MHz on board a vessel 38 meters (124 feet) and over in 
length, a vessel engaged in towing (See Sec. 80.951(b)), or a vessel 
carrying more than six passengers for hire. This watch must be 
maintained continuously and effectively. Sequential monitoring is not 
sufficient. Portable VHF equipment may be used to meet this requirement. 
Vessels are exempted from this requirement while transiting the St. 
Lawrence Seaway and complying with the Joint Regulations of the St. 
Lawrence Seaway Authority and St. Lawrence Seaway Development 
Corporation between the lower exit of St. Lambert Lock at Montreal and 
Crossover Island, New York and in the Welland Canal and approaches 
between Calling in Point No. 15 and No. 16.
    (b) The watch must be maintained by the master, or person designated 
by the master, who may perform other duties provided they do not 
interfere with the effectiveness of the watch.
[ 53 FR 17052 , May 13, 1988]