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Guidelines for Documenting Violations

In order for law enforcement authorities to respond to a reported violation in a timely manner and to successfully apprehend and prosecute violators, certain information is critical. This information must be accurately documented and reported to authoities immediately.

REMEMBER: WITNESSES SHOULD NOT APPROACH OR CONTACT VIOLATORS.
The following list is provided as a suggested guideline for obtaining and documenting necessary information. Not every element below will pertain to a given incident. Also, other elements may be appropriate that are not listed here.

  1. Type of violation (What):

  2. Date of violation (When):

  3. Time of violation (When):

  4. Location of violation (Where - be precise):

  5. Responsible Party (Who – provide names and detailed descriptions of people involved in potential violation (gender, ethnicity, age, height, weight, hair, clothing, etc.)):

  6. Type of equipment used in violation:

  7. Boat or Aircraft characteristics (if a vessel is involved)

    1. Identification/license numbers:

    2. Name/Home Port:

    3. Color(s):

    4. Length:

    5. Type (e.g. sailboat, cabin cruiser, cargo ship, jet ski, helicopter, single-engine plane)

    6. Other unique design characteristics (e.g. special markings, cranes, towers, booms, lights, etc.):

    7. Last known direction headed:

    8. Speed (approximate):


  8. Behavior of any animals affected prior to, during, and after incident:

  9. Weather on scene:

  10. Sea conditions:

  11. Photographs/Video taken or available:

  12. Description of violation or comments:
Reviewed: July 18, 2024
Web Site Owner: National Ocean Service

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