DATE: Saturday, October 11, 1997            TAG: 9710110478

SECTION: LOCAL                   PAGE: B3   EDITION: FINAL 

SOURCE: STAFF REPORT 

DATELINE: NORFOLK                           LENGTH:   38 lines

CG PULLS CERTIFICATES ON 4 BOATS, SAYING OWNER DIDN'T PAY FINES

The Coast Guard on Friday revoked documentation certificates for four fishing vessels owned by a Smithfield man, claiming he failed to pay civil penalties stemming from four separate cases involving boat safety violations.

Without the endorsements, the vessels may not be legally operated.

The Coast Guard's Marine Safety Office took the action against Payton Jones Jr. of Smithfield, who owns the boats. Three of them, the Nikki J., Takoya J. and Deasrae J., normally operate from the Newport News small boat harbor. The fourth, Brenda J., typically operates from Tyler's Beach in Isle of Wight County.

The documentation certificates were revoked under the authority of a new law passed to assist the Coast Guard in the collection of overdue civil penalties, said Lt. Cmdr. Eric Washburn, a Coast Guard spokesman. It is the first time the law has been used locally, he said.

Jones allegedly failed to pay civil penalities resulting from safety violations and illegally carried passengers. In addition, he is facing significant civil penalties in four other cases.

The voyages of two of Jones' boats were terminated on separate dates earlier this year after Coast Guard boardings. In one case, the boat was overloaded, and in the other there were no child-sized life jackets for three children aboard, the Coast Guard claimed.

Jones was not available for comment, a family member said.

The action is part of a larger Coast Guard effort to put an end to operators' illegally carrying passengers on hired boats that have not been inspected.

Fishermen who ride charter boats are encouraged to ask to see the operator's Coast Guard license before paying for the trip, officials said. If the boat is carrying more than six passengers, they also should ask to see the vessel's Coast Guard Certificate of Inspection. KEYWORDS: U.S. COAST GUARD

Send Suggestions or Comments to webmaster@scholar.lib.vt.edu