style="font-size: larger;" | Local Notice to Mariners

The first page of a Local Notice to Mariners.
Purpose:	Provide corrections of a local nature to navigational publications and nautical charts.
Publication Frequency:	Weekly
Published by:	Local U.S. Coast Guard District
Available Online:	Yes http://www.navcen.uscg.gov/?pageName=lnmMain

A Local Notice to Mariners is an authoritative instruction issued by a designated official, typically the harbormaster.

United States

In the United States, notices are issued by each U.S. Coast Guard District to disseminate important information affecting navigational safety within that District. This Notice reports changes and deficiencies in aids to navigation maintained by the Coast Guard. Other marine information such as new charts

Nautical chart

A nautical chart is a graphic representation of a maritime area and adjacent coastal regions. Depending on the scale of the chart, it may show depths of water and heights of land , natural features of the seabed, details of the coastline, navigational hazards, locations of natural and man-made aids...

, channel depths, naval operations, and regattas is included. Since temporary information of short duration is not included in the weekly Notice to Mariners

Notice to Mariners

A notice to mariners advises mariners of important matters affecting navigational safety, including new hydrographic information, changes in channels and aids to navigation, and other important data.Over 60 countries which produce nautical charts also...

, the Local Notice to Mariners may be the only source of such information. Small craft using the Intracoastal Waterway

Intracoastal Waterway

The Intracoastal Waterway is a 3,000-mile waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Some lengths consist of natural inlets, salt-water rivers, bays, and sounds; others are artificial canals...

 and small harbors not normally used by oceangoing vessels need it to keep charts and publications up-to-date.

Since correcting information for U.S. charts in the Notice to Mariners is obtained from the Coast Guard Local Notices, it is normal to expect a lag of 1 or 2 weeks for the Notice to Mariners to publish a correction from this source.

The Local Notice to Mariners may be obtained free of charge by contacting the appropriate Coast Guard District Commander. Vessels operating in ports and waterways in several districts must obtain the Local Notice to Mariners from each district.

Source

The text of the US material originated from section 422 of The American Practical Navigator, a document produced by the government of the United States of America

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

.

Examples

LNTMs are, by definition, concerned with local issues. Each port has its own series of LNTMs – there is no international standard numbering or indexing scheme. Individual LNTMs may concern short or long term situations. At Portsmouth, mariners are instructed by LNTM 28/07 to keep clear of warship berths. At Holyhead, LNTM 5/2008 concerns Bunkering or transferring oil in port. At Chichester, No 16 of 2008 Sea defence works at Hayling Island gives timely information about dredging operations.

See also

• American Practical Navigator
• Buoy
  Buoy
  A buoy is a floating device that can have many different purposes. It can be anchored or allowed to drift. The word, of Old French or Middle Dutch origin, is now most commonly in UK English, although some orthoepists have traditionally prescribed the pronunciation...
  
  
• Coast Pilots
  Coast Pilots
  United States Coast Pilots is a nine-volume American navigation publication distributed yearly by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Office of Coast Survey. The purpose of the publication is to supplement nautical charts of United States of America waters. Information comes...
  
  
• Light List
  Light List
  The United States Coast Guard Light List is an American navigation publication in 7 volumes made available yearly by the U.S. Coast Guard which gives information on lighted navigation aids, unlighted buoys, radiobeacons, radio direction finder calibration stations, daybeacons, racons, and LORAN...
  
  
• List of Lights
• Notice to Mariners
  Notice to Mariners
  A notice to mariners advises mariners of important matters affecting navigational safety, including new hydrographic information, changes in channels and aids to navigation, and other important data.Over 60 countries which produce nautical charts also...
  
  
• Sailing Directions
  Sailing Directions
  Sailing Directions is a 42-volume American navigation publication published by the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency . Sailing Directions consists of 37 Enroute volumes, 4 Planning Guide volumes, and 1 volume combining both types...
  
  

External links

• Chapter 4: Nautical Publications - from the online edition of Nathaniel Bowditch
  Nathaniel Bowditch
  Nathaniel Bowditch was an early American mathematician remembered for his work on ocean navigation. He is often credited as the founder of modern maritime navigation; his book The New American Practical Navigator, first published in 1802, is still carried on board every commissioned U.S...
  
  's American Practical Navigator
• Local Notices to Mariners online