The U.S Navy and Coast Guard began their joint mission in the Western and Central Pacific under the Oceania Maritime Security Initiative (OMSI) to reduce and eliminate illegal, unregulated, unreported fishing, combat transnational crimes, and enhance regional security, July 28.

Independence-variant littoral combat ship USS Jackson (LCS 6), with an embarked Coast Guard law enforcement detachment from the Pacific Tactical Law Enforcement Team, is 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 Jackson, along with HSC-23 Detachment 4, is motivated and ready to contribute to the OMSI mission,” said Cmdr. Stacy Wuthier, Jackson’s commanding officer. “We are dedicated to maintaining regional security by supporting our U.S. Coast Guard partners while they enforce fishery laws, and suppressing illicit activities in the Western 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.

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.