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Editor: Rod Sullivan
Profession: Maritime Attorney

Category: Safety at Sea

If you are involved in a marine casualty, you have an obligation under federal law to stop and render assistance.

The Federal Act is known as the Stand-By Act. It provides that you must "render necessary assistance to each individual affected to save that affected individual from danger caused by the marine casualty" and "give the master's or individual's name and address and identification of the vessel to the master or individual in charge of any other vessel involved in the casualty." The failure to do so can result in 2 years in jail and a $1000 fine.