The Power

Going on from yesterday's bit on the Coastguard, perhaps it would be good to explain how the Coastguard gets its "power" to carry out its duties.

I found the following from the main MCA website;

The Government of the United Kingdom assumes responsibility for civilian Search and Rescue (SAR) within the UK and its aviation and maritime Search and Rescue Regions. The maritime responsibility arises from the UK Government's acceptance of the Convention of the High Seas 1958, of the International Conventions of safety of life at Sea 1960 and 1974, and the of the International Convention on Maritime Search and Rescue 1979 (as amended). The lead Government Department for UKSAR is the department of Transport (DfT) which delegates the authority for responding to maritime incidents to HM Coastguard by the authority of the Coastguard Act 1925.

HM Coastguard is an on call emergency organisation responsible for the initiation and co ordination of all civilian maritime SAR within the UK Maritime Search and Rescue Region. This includes the mobilisation, organisation and tasking of adequate resources to respond to persons either in distress at sea, or person at risk of injury or death on the cliffs or shoreline of the United Kingdom.

So yes "HM Coastguard" is a Government department, not a charity (That's the RNLI who get tasked by the Coastguard). However HM Coastguard does have its own rescue teams (401 teams) who are classed as volunteers (like us based at North Beach Car Park).

So can I make it clear as asked yesterday....."how much did we make at our summer BBQ?" THAT WASN'T THE COASTGUARD THAT WAS THE RNLI!

We are funded from central Government, not Dorset County Council,Purbeck District Council or by charity funds. im afraid its your taxes that pay for us.

Coastguard Act 1925

In 1922 a inter-departmental committee appointed by the treasury reported that a newly constituted CG service should be established

"A coast watching force to perform duties in connection with saving of life, the salvage of wreck, the administration of foreshores and certain miscellaneous duties to be administered by the Board of Trade".


The recommendations of the Committee were adopted and received statutory sanction in the CG act 1925. the act specifies the cg responsibilities to include
saving of life
salvage of wreck
administration of foreshores
such duties as may be defined by the board.


The coastguard act is seen as an enabling act, which in modern times gives the Secretary of state the authority to determine the duties of HM Coastguard to meet current requirements.
HM Coastguards role and responsibilities were specified by the Secretary of state in a statement laid before Parliament in 1992 as:
"HM Coastguard has a statutory duty under the CG Act 1925 to be responsible for the initiation and co-ordination of civil maritime search and rescue with the UK Maritime search and rescue region. This includes the mobilisation, organisation and tasking of adequate resources to respond to persons either in distress at sea or persons at risk of injury or death on the cliffs or shoreline of the UK