Alaska Fish Factor: Edict by CDC says fishermen must wear masks while underway, even while sleeping; Coast Guard will enforce it

Fishermen must wear masks while they are underway, even while sleeping, and the Coast Guard intends to enforce it.

That’s an edict issued as a public health emergency by the Center for Disease Control in a Marine Safety Bulletin issued on Feb. 1. It requires the wearing of masks at all times in U.S. waters on all commercial vessels “when boarding, disembarking, and for the duration of travel” to prevent the spread of the Covid-19 virus.

The action states that “conveyance operators traveling into or within the U.S. may transport only persons wearing masks and must use best efforts to ensure tha...