America's recreational boating community is one of the largest of its type in the world, with roughly 76 million privately owned craft. Each day, thousands of these vessels with their operators, crew and passengers enjoy recreational activity along the United States' 95,000 miles of shoreline and 25,000 miles of navigable waterways. This group is literally able to observe much of America's ports and waterways multiple times a day, every day of the year.

With this in mind, the Coast Guard seeks to engage recreational boaters in a new program called America's Waterway Watch. This program allows the Coast Guard, with the help of recreational boaters, to better secure America's coasts, rivers, bridges, tunnels, ports, ships and waterside facilities, by tapping into the presence and observations of thousands of recreational boaters on America's waterways at any given moment. America's Waterway Watch will improve security in the maritime environment: it is an important element of our national maritime security regime.

Recreational boaters are asked to report: unusual surveillance of vessel or facility operations, unattended boats near bridges, unusual diving activity in ports, unauthorized vessels operating in restricted areas, or other suspicious activities. Reports should be made by calling the National Response Center at 1-800-424-8802 or radioing the Coast Guard on marine channel 16. Concerns for immediate danger to life or property should be directed to 911. Boaters should not, however, approach or engage anyone acting in a suspicious manner. Additional information on the America's Waterway Watch is located at www.AmericasWaterwayWatch.us or by contacting your local Coast Guard Auxiliary flotilla.

One of the best deterrents of terrorism is vigilance. Toward this end, the Coast Guard implemented the Maritime Transportation and Security Act, which brought the most sweeping change in the nation's maritime security posture since World War II. The Coast Guard also commissioned 13 new Maritime Safety and Security Teams to provide dedicated maritime security forces in major ports. These two endeavors along with the addition of more than 700 response boats and 65 patrol boats are representative of the many enhancements, including America's Waterway Watch, that we have made since 9-11 to improve our nation's maritime security posture. With more than 95 percent of global trade being conducted via maritime means, America's ports and waterways are the lifeline of our national economy.

We ask all recreational boat operators to be observant and report any suspicious activity to the proper authorities for additional investigation. This simple activity will greatly increase our overall security posture.

(Vice Admiral Harvey E. Johnson is the U.S. Coast Guard commander of the Coastal Guard Pacific Area.)