| 04 January 2010
Do you remember when we had easy to understand licensing forms, no User Fees and Regional Exam Centers (RECs) that understood how important a license is to a professional fishing guide captain? I do. However, professional mariner licensing is changing drastically.
I’ve been assisting mariners with their license applications, and in resolving disputes with the Coast Guard since 1981. That’s a long time. There have been so many drastic changes in licensing regulations in the past twelve months that they boggle the mind.
Here are a few new terms to add to your licensing vocabulary:
NMC – National Maritime Center
Located in Martinsburg, West Virginia, the functions of license application review and issuance were pulled from the RECs in 2008 and centralized at the NMC. You must file your license application at an REC, either by mail, or in person. The REC reviews the application for completeness and payment of the applicable user fees and forwards it to the NMC for review, approval and license (MMC) issuance.
MMC - Merchant Marine Credential
The Coast Guard no longer issues a paper license that can be framed and posted in the wheelhouse. Effective April 2009 the NMC issues an MMC in place of a paper license. It is red, the size of a passport, and fits into a back pocket.
TWIC – Transportation Workers Identification Card
Mandatory effective April 15, 2009 for all USCG license holders. To not comply means that your Coast Guard license is invalid. Original and renewal license applicants must provide “Proof of Enrollment” in the TWIC program when they file their application. Don’t hold anything back. The Coast Guard’s security check system missed many things the TSA’s (Transportation Safety Administration) catches everything. Open probation violations and convictions for “the possession of an explosive device” – including firecrackers and cherry bombs – can result in permanent denial of a TWIC. It happened to one of my clients. He was arrested when he was seventeen years old for making “bombs” out of glass jars, vinegar and baking soda.
NVIC - Navigation Inspection Circular
Medical NVIC 04-8 was placed into effect in September 2008 with 29 pages listing 202 disqualifying medical conditions, amplifying medical information, and tests that must be supplied in support of the medical condition. The complete NVIC, with all exhibits, and supplementary narratives is almost 100 pages in length.
BMI – Body Mass Index
The ratio of height and weight to body mass. A BMI reading of above 40 results in a required demonstration of the ability to perform various physical abilities as certified by a physician. This took effect in March 2009. For example, if you are 6 feet tall and weigh more than 294 pounds your BMI will be in excess of 40.
Future licensing functions will prove to become even more difficult as the Coast Guard marches on to the beat of their owner drummer into 2010 and beyond! I wish you well.
Captain Paul McElroy has been involved in licensing issues and regulations for almost thirty years. He can be reached at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or (772) 288-1066. You can also visit his website at www.TreasureCoastMysteries.com.
