Safety check

The U.S. Coast Guard says it conducted more than 250 dockside safety checks on boats preparing for battle in the Bristol Bay salmon fishery. Dillingham was one of the ports where the courtesy exams were done. "We don't issue fines or other penalties for any problems we discover," a Coast Guard officer said. "We focus on safety concerns such as flares, fire extinguishers and navigational charts, lights and signals." Fishermen who earn a safety decal are less likely to see the Coast Guard or state troopers board their boats at sea, interrupting valuable fishing time, the officer said. USCG photo