Coast guard
A Coast Guard is mostly a national, usually the relevant Ministry of the Interior under authority directly or even an amalgamation of several State authorities for the protection and control of shipping ( Maritime Police ), to the rescue in emergency and disaster situations and the prevention and prosecution of criminal offenses in the territorial sea and on the high seas, such as the monitoring of fishing quotas and compliance with other requirements ( testing of safety net mesh sizes in order not to jeopardize the existence of small and juvenile fish ) or from environmental regulations. Also a national Coast Guard may be part of the armed forces represent the sea, such as the United States Coast Guard.
Germany
In the Federal Republic of Germany was founded in 1994 these duties from the coordination composite Coast Guard from several federal agencies and institutes ( Federal Customs Administration / water tariff, federal police, Waterways and Shipping Administration, the Federal Agency for Agriculture and Food) are perceived.
In Schleswig -Holstein existed from 1995 until the end of 2005, a resolution own Coast Guard as a composite of water police, the Office for Rural Areas (ALR ) and the State Agency for Nature and Environment. Since joining forces failed under one roof at the federal level on opposition from other federal states of Schleswig -Holstein decided to dissolve these composite.