b'PHOTO: THE BLOCK ISLAND FERRY, INTERSTATE NAVIGATION COMPANY A person operating a vessel in a negligent manner or interfering with the safe operation of a vessel, so as to endanger the life, limb, or property of a person is liable to the United States Government for a civil penalty of not more than $5,000 in the case of a recreational vessel, or $25,000 in the case of any other vessel.This is the definition of a rail jumper according to section 2302(a) of title 46 United States Code. It seems hard to imagine someone voluntarily and unnecessarily jumping from a moving vessel, but its a problem too many PVA operators across the country have faced. Senior Legislative Advisor Ed Welch wrote about rail jumpers in the April 2023 issue of Foghorn. 27 DECEMBER 2023'