Essential to homeland security is the mission to enhance maritime border security while maximizing the flow of legitimate trade and travel on the sea, ocean, and other navigable waterways. Navigable waterways include the Great Lakes and all inland waterways subject to federal jurisdiction, such as the Mississippi River, the Intra-coastal Waterway, and other inter-state lakes and rivers.
To fulfill this mission, the U.S. Coast Guard:
- Monitors U.S. flag vessels, including commercial boats and foreign vessels operating in U.S. waters;
- Responds to and investigates maritime incidents, search and rescue, casualties, and boating accidents; and
- Addresses issues like boating safety, fishing regulation, oil spills, migrant interdiction, drug smuggling, and pollution.
The U.S. Coast Guard reports on:
- Fishing regulation compliance rates;
- Migrant interdiction effectiveness;
- Removal rate of cocaine from non-commercial vessels in the maritime transit zone;
- Number of serious marine incidents;
- Average number of oil spills; and
- Average number of deaths at sea.
Reports
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USCG Search and Rescue Responses
Since 1790, the United States Coast Guard (USGC) has safeguarded the American people and promoted national security, border security, and economic prosperity. They work in a complex and evolving maritime environment. USCG saves those in peril and protects the nation from all maritime threats.
This is a Key Homeland Security Metric.
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Coast Guard Maritime Response Activities
United States Coast Guard (USCG) maritime response data. Includes search and rescue, pollution cleanup, and migrant, drug, and fishing violations.
