USCG Aids to Navigation Practice Exam 2025 - Free Practice Questions and Study Guide for Aids to Navigation

The IALA Buoyage Systems primarily govern buoy markings, which are intended to assist mariners in safely navigating through waters and around hazards. These systems are concerned primarily with marking channels, hazards, and navigational aids.

Lighthouses and lightships serve as fixed markings in the nautical environment and convey important navigational information, but they do not fall under the IALA buoyage framework, which specifically pertains to floating aids. Therefore, the characteristics and classifications of lighthouses and lightships do not conform to the buoyage systems defined by IALA, which makes this option the correct answer in the context of what the IALA systems govern.

In contrast, the other options pertain to navigational aids that the IALA Buoyage Systems do address, as they involve the marking of channels, obstructions, and regulated areas, thus falling within the purview of the system's application. Understanding this distinction is crucial for properly applying navigational rules during maritime operations.