Coast Guard, Navy Begin High Seas Oceania Maritime Security Initiative (OMSI) Patrol

By U.S. Navy Public Affairs - April 6, 2021

A member of a U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement detachment climbs down to a rigid-hull inflatable boat during an Oceania Maritime Security Initiative (OMSI) boarding mission. The OMSI program is a secretary of defense program leveraging Department of Defense assets transiting the region to increase the Coast Guard’s maritime domain awareness, ultimately supporting its maritime law enforcement operations in Oceania. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jasen Morenogarcia/Released)

The U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Navy began their joint mission in the Western and Central Pacific under the Oceania Maritime Security Initiative (OMSI) to reduce and eliminate illegal, unregulated, unreported (IUU) fishing, combat transnational crimes, and enhance regional security, April 5.

Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Tulsa (LCS 16), with an embarked Coast Guard law enforcement detachment from the Pacific Tactical Law Enforcement Team are conducting maritime law enforcement operations through the enforcement of international law and the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Convention in order to protect United States and Pacific Island Nations’ resource security and sovereignty. The OMSI program is a Secretary of Defense program that leverages Department of Defense assets transiting the region to improve maritime security and maritime domain awareness, ultimately supporting regional stability and partnerships in Oceania.

“USS Tulsa is proud to contribute to the OMSI mission” said Cmdr. William Dvorak, Tulsa‘s commanding officer. “Working with the embarked U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement detachment, our crew is looking forward to supporting maritime security in the Indo-Pacific.”

The Oceania Maritime Security Initiative improves maritime security and maritime domain awareness by enabling U.S. Coast Guard law enforcement personnel to conduct maritime law enforcement operations from U.S. Navy assets in coordination with the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission.

“Our team is ready and excited to execute the OMSI mission,” said Cmdr. Robert Berry, commanding officer of the embarked law enforcement detachment. “Collaborating with our U.S. Navy counterparts enables us to monitor and deter IUU fishing in the Western and Central Pacific and provides a presence for maritime surveillance and security in the region.”

An integral part of U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. 3rd Fleet leads naval forces in the Indo-Pacific and provides the realistic, relevant training necessary to flawlessly execute our Navy’s role across the full spectrum of military operations – from combat operations to humanitarian assistance and disaster relief. U.S. 3rd Fleet works together with our allies and partners to advance freedom of navigation, the rule of law, and other principles that underpin security for the Indo-Pacific region.

For more information on USS Tulsa, please visit https://www.surfpac.navy.mil/lcs16/