Question 491Navigation General

The correct answer is D) National Ocean Service. The National Ocean Service (NOS), which is part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), is the agency responsible for issuing charts of U.S. waters and Coast Pilots. The NOS is the primary producer and publisher of nautical charts and other navigational products for U.S. coastal and Great Lakes waters, as well as the publisher of the Coast Pilot series, which provide detailed information on harbors, ports, and coastal features. The other options are incorrect because the U.S. Coast Guard is responsible for maritime safety and law enforcement, the National Imagery and Mapping Agency is responsible for national geospatial intelligence, and the U.S. Naval Observatory is responsible for astronomical data and time-keeping, but none of these agencies are the primary producers of nautical charts and Coast Pilots.