PORTSMOUTH, Va. - The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane returned to Portsmouth, Virginia, Monday following a seven-week deployment in the Atlantic Ocean in support of Operation Atlantic Venture and Operation Ocean Hunter.
Operation Atlantic Venture supports maritime safety, security and stewardship missions in the waters from Maine to northern New Jersey.
During the patrol, the Harriet Lane transited more than 6,000 nautical miles covering waters from North Carolina to Maine. The crew completed 47 commercial fishing vessel boardings, which included the detection of a living marine resources violation for the illegal retention of egg bearing American Lobsters.
Additionally, the crew towed an 86-foot fishing vessel with five people aboard after it became disabled 50 miles northeast of Cape Cod, Massachusetts.
“This was a diverse and highly effective seven weeks,” said Cmdr. John Cole, commanding officer of the Harriet Lane.
The Coast Guard Cutter Harriet Lane, along with the service's 26 other medium endurance cutters, is slated to be replaced by a new fleet of Offshore Patrol Cutters that will have the endurance to operate more than 50 miles offshore to carry out the Coast Guard's maritime security and safety missions.
The OPC will be an economical, multi-mission ship, providing pursuit boat and helicopter capabilities and interagency interoperability. Its advanced technical features include modern sensors and enhanced surveillance capabilities necessary to detect threats far from U.S. shores and meet the demands of the Coast Guard’s homeland security, search and rescue, law enforcement and other vital missions.
The Harriet Lane is a multi-mission 270-foot medium-endurance cutter homeported in Portsmouth. The cutter is responsible for a variety of Coast Guard missions including search and rescue enforcement of laws and treaties, maritime defense, and protection of the marine environment.
For more information on the Harriet Lane visit: https://www.uscg.mil/lantarea/cgcHarrietLane/
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