The Coast Guard is a military, multi-mission maritime service possessing a unique blend of humanitarian, law enforcement, regulatory, security and military capabilities. The broad spectrum of Coast Guard missions falls within our five fundamental roles: maritime security, maritime safety, protection of natural resources, maritime mobility and national defense. Following the attacks of 9/11, the Coast Guard was transferred to the Department of Homeland Security, and assumed increased security responsibilities.
Maritime Security - Maritime law enforcement and border control are the oldest of the Coast Guard's missions. Units on the Great Lakes work closely with federal, state and local agencies as well as Canadian authorities to interdict smugglers, illegal migrants and to enforce general maritime law enforcement. The nature of the international border and the presence of sovereign Native American nations in the Great Lakes region makes partnerships with other law enforcement agencies vital.
Maritime Safety - Through partnerships with other federal agencies, state and local governments, marine industries, and individual mariners, the Coast Guard enhances safety on the Great Lakes with a focused program of prevention, response and investigation. Boating safety classes teach both novice and experienced mariners how to be safe on the water and what sort of equipment should be carried while underway. There are 4.6 million U.S.-registered recreational boats on the Great Lakes, making boating safety and education a very important mission in the Ninth District.
Protection of Natural Resources - The Great Lakes supply dozens of major cities in the region with fresh water, making any oil spill a serious concern. The Coast Guard works to prevent these spills and to clean them up quickly when they occur. The Coast Guard also enforces laws designed to prevent non-native aquatic species from entering the Great Lakes via the ballast water of foreign vessels. When these vessels enter the Lakes without ballast, some invasive species may still reside in the bottom of the tanks, and the Coast Guard is actively pursuing methods to deal with this issue.
Maritime Mobility - On average, 200 million tons of cargo pass through the Great Lakes waterways each year. The Coast Guard marks the shipping lanes with an extensive network of buoys, lights and navigational markers, and we work alongside the Canadian Coast Guard to provide ice breaking support to the commercial shipping industry, keeping the ice-bound waterways open during the harsh winter months. The Coast Guard also manages the Vessel Traffic System for the St. Mary's River, ensuring the safe transit of hundreds of vessels per year in the restricted waters between Lake Huron and Lake Superior.
National Defense - Our primary homeland security goals are to detect, deter and disrupt threats to domestic and international security and safety. We are also tasked with protecting cross-border infrastructure. In support of these goals we are:
- Protecting ports and waterways from terrorism
- Increasing our Maritime Domain Awareness with the latest technology
- Coordinating efforts and intelligence with federal, state and local agencies.
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