On 05Aug2020 0415, xxxxxx@gmail.com wrote:

> It has a multi-fold role:
> - Maritime Search and Rescue (this is it's major focus)
> - Port / Harbour Security
> - Law Enforcement on Water and around Ports/Harbours
> - When attached to military missions, they help with clearing harbours
> and waterways of threats, they help provide port security, they help
> organize and control shipping in ports, and they provide extra SAR assets
> - They engage in boarding of vessels in US waters and if they are in a
> foreign AO, there as well, for the purposes of search (& seizure) for
> the purpose of locating smuggled stuff (people, weapons, terrorists,
> immigrants, refugees, drugs, whatever)
> - I am not certain, but up here, out CG is responsible for 'lights'
> (light houses and other lights), navigational systems (radio nav
> gear), and for buoys that have lights and/or other navigational
> aspects (signs, symbols, etc), and in some cases, would be responsible
> for inland markers used for what sailors call 'ranges' (a visual
> navigation aid mounted on land that helps fix positions for boats)
> - Also, I have heard cases of CG responding by air to US landward
> locations when an EPIRB (Emergency Personal Individual Rescue Beacon
> IIRC) is triggered (even if it is in your garage.... but they send you
> a bill then)
> - Unsure if they do icebreaking around Alaska of other northern or far
> southern US holding or protectorate
> - I'm pretty sure your guys have had some chemical warfare training
> (maybe its only when in a threat area, but I suspect it may be more
> general)
>
> Contrast with Canadian CG:
> - We have fewer go fast boats and though armed, ours have lighter arms
> - Ours are not an 'Armed Service' but are a 'Civilian Agency' (they
> have arms, but they aren't considered in the same vein as the military)
> - Ours also do icebreaking
> - Ours also enable and support northern science related to climate,
> the North West Passage, populations in the north (they have science
> ships plus they put science types on ice breakers)
> - Ours has a LE aspect, but only for the water - never seen them doing
> a lot for harbour security - local PDs usually handle those
> - Not sure our pensions are in any way aligned with civil service or
> military pensions (ditto benefits)
> - Harbour security in foreign theaters would be done for us by the
> navy as would clearing harbours, etc.
> - We lack the range of vessels (but we have some you likely don't due
> to being more Northerly) of the USCG
> - Ours have no NBC defense capability I'm aware of
New Zealand has no Coast Guard as such. The Police do most inshore work
and the RNZN and RNZAF do the off-shore security and SAR. They will
assist each other, and also the fisheries agents when enforcing fishery
regulations (which gets less attention than it needs for a variety of
reasons).

--
Rupert Boleyn <xxxxxx@gmail.com>