Coast Guard Cutter Oliver Berry returns to Hawai’i

HONOLULU (KHON2) — Honolulu welcomed home the crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Oliver Berry on Tuesday, Nov. 22.

The 38-day expedition perambulated across 7,000 nautical-miles. It took place throughout the South Pacific and was a patrol meant to enforce international living resources treaties and to conduct joint operations with partner nations in the South Pacific.

While sailing from Honolulu to Kiribati, Samoa, the Kingdom of Tonga and America Samoa, the Oliver Berry crew:

1. conducted 12 fisheries boardings.
2. identified 16 fishery and safety violations.
3. completed 18 community relation events.

COVID-19 personal protective equipment was delivered by the crew to Kiritimati Island, Kiribati that was donated by the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command’s Office of Global Health Engagement. The supplies were enough for 7,000 people. Also while in Kiribati, the Oliver Berry provided patrol coverage to support the country’s maritime law enforcement efforts in Kiribati’s Exclusive Economic Zone.

“The importance of exercising U.S. Coast Guard Bilateral Law Enforcement Agreements with our Pacific Island partners can’t be understated,” said Lt. Cmdr. Micah Howell, the commanding officer of the Oliver Berry.

The Oliver Berry also went to Apia, Samoa and the Kingdom of Tonga.

While in Apia, the crew participated in community engagement and outreach events meant to strengthen ties between the U.S. and Samoa. The crew attended a reception for the U.S. Embassy Apia Chargé d’Affaires Noriko Horiuchi as a way of honoring the work of the crew in assisting Samoa to strengthen its own maritime governance and security. The event also spotlighted the important role these operations play in South Pacific security.

The crew had quite a few public relations events to oversee:

1. Providing ship tours for partner maritime organizations and students.
2. Going on a visit to the Samoa Victims Support Group at Faleata to donate school supplies and hygiene products donated by the crew and the Honolulu Chief Petty Officer’s Association.
3. Meeting with students from the National Maritime School to discuss life underway.
4. Conducting a beach clean-up around the harbor of Apia.

According the U.S. Coast Guard, The Oliver Berry also “patrolled international waters in the South Pacific to detect, deter and suppress non-compliance with international treaties and conservation and management measures outlined by the Western Central Pacific Fisheries Commission. Oliver Berry crew conducted four WCPFC boardings in an effort to identify and counter illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing activity, resulting in one fisheries violation.”

The crew also had the opportunity to host local law enforcement officers as a way of exercising Bilateral Law Enforcement agreements.

“These agreements allow us the opportunity to strengthen our partnerships and work closely with our maritime counterparts to collectively ensure maritime governance and security across the Blue Pacific,” explained Howell.

“The Oliver Berry is one of six highly capable FRCs stationed across District 14. Their crews provide year round search and rescue and maritime law enforcement coverage across a 15 million square mile area of responsibility, demonstrating the United States Coast Guard’s enduring commitment to our partner nations across Oceania,” according to the U.S. Coast Guard.