MARITIME LAW ENFORCEMENT- Promote national well-being, security, and economic prosperity by enforcing national and international laws and treaties throughout the maritime region. The Coast Guard, as the nations lead maritime law enforcement agency, has broad, multifaceted jurisdictional authority. The current Maritime Law Enforcement (MLE) emphasis is on: (1) combating illicit drug trafficking, (2) interdicting illegal migrants at sea, and (3) protecting fisheries and other living marine resources. Additionally, the Coast Guard is responsible to enforce all federal laws at sea, and other responsibilities include preventing smuggling of other contraband such as firearms and currency, ensuring compliance with vessel safety laws, responding to vessel incidents involving violent acts or other criminal activity, and providing support to other federal, state and local law enforcement agencies.

MARITIME SAFETY - Facilitate safe, effective marine transportation and promote the maritime public’s well-being and economic prosperity by minimizing injury, death, and property damage on, over, and under the high seas and waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States.The Coast Guard is responsible for conducting search and rescue (SAR) throughout the Maritime SAR Area, a massive region which includes all waters subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, and high seas areas covering much of the North Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, as well as a substantial portion of the Arctic Ocean as depicted in Figure 1. In addition, maritime tradition and international law require Coast Guard assets to respond to distress requests for assistance in any area that they are operating in, regardless of location. While SAR operations represent but a small percentage of Deepwater operations, the Coast Guard must retain its position as the world's leader in this vital humanitarian mission. Since 1914 the Coast Guard has been responsible for the management and operation of the International Ice Patrol (IIP), an international effort to warn mariners of the presence of icebergs in the vicinity of major shipping lanes, as shown in Figure 2. Even in the modern age, icebergs remain a very real hazard to shipping, however, since the IIP began, no loss of life or vessels has occurred with its are of responsibility. The Coast Guard supports the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in establishing and maintaining a system of offshore environmental data collection buoys which enhance the National Weather Service's weather forecasting ability. Since the buoy system was first established, the Coast Guard has provided this support to the National Data Buoy Center (NDBC) in the form of deployment, maintenance, and recovery of NDBC's offshore buoys.

NATIONAL DEFENSE - Support the National Military Strategy by engaging in domestic and international efforts that enhance the image of the United States, protect our economic interests, and defend U.S. citizens and property. The Coast Guard is, by statute, "a military service and a branch of the Armed Forces of the United States at all times" (14 USC 1). The Coast Guard has participated in every war or national contingency since our nation was founded. The Coast Guard offers the nation a defense bargain as our assets, while sometimes less capable, are far less expensive than Navy platforms, and are fully employed during peacetime, thus "earning their keep" while waiting to respond.

MARINE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION - Protect the marine environment and preserve our natural resources while promoting national wellbeing and economic prosperity. The Coast Guard is responsible for the enforcement of a number of safety and pollution prevention regulations on ships operating in U.S. waters, including foreign vessels. The Oil Pollution Act of 1990 has resulted in a considerable increase in Coast Guard responsibilities, and the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) has broadened our authority to take direct enforcement action for oil, noxious liquid, and garbage discharges offshore.

Future Missions. The Coast Guard is a dynamic service facing continual change. Our service began as a revenue collecting agency, and the primary roles that the Coast Guard has become known for--Maritime Law Enforcement, Maritime Safety, Marine Environmental Protection, and National Defense--evolved as the organization matured. The Deepwater Mission Analysis Report (MAR) points to other possible Deepwater missions for the Coast Guard of the future. Future missions could include protection of non-living marine resources, oceanographic data collection and survey, UN and international operations, and disaster and terrorism response and protection. The Center for Naval Analyses is presently conducting a study which will result in recommendations to the Chief of Naval Operations as to appropriate future national defense missions for the Coast Guard. Possibilities under consideration include a wide variety of military and diplomatic missions. Since definite requirements for these missions do not yet exist, they are not included in here. While it would be premature to allocate precious resources for uncertain tasking, such possibilities should be considered when required capabilities are discussed. Many of our current Deepwater resources are employed in missions which were not considered when the assets were designed. Raising these issues now serves as a "placeholder" to ensure that future Coast Guard resources will be better equipped for the responsibilities they pursue. As the probability of those missions becoming Coast Guard tasking increases, their effect on asset capabilities will be evaluated and documented.

1.4  Mission Requirements.  The ICCGS enables the Coast Guard to perform the following mandated missions with sufficient number of assets to support operational requirements 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

1.4.1  Alien Migrant Interdiction Operations (AMIO). 

1.4.2  Deployed Port Operations, Security and Defense (DPOSD). 

1.4.3  Drug Interdiction.  

1.4.4  Environmental Defense Operations. 

1.4.5  Foreign Vessel Inspection. 

1.4.6  General Defense Operations. 

1.4.7  General Law Enforcement. 

1.4.8  Lightering Zone Enforcement. 

1.4.9  Living Marine Resources Enforcement (LMR). 

1.4.10  Maritime Intercept Operations (MIO). 

1.4.11  Peacetime Military Engagement (PME). 

1.4.12  Maritime Pollution (MARPOL) Enforcement and Response. 

1.4.13  Search and Rescue (SAR).  

1.4.14  Data Buoy Support (Buoy).