The Proposal

Coastguard4uk proposes the following:

Merge the cutter fleet of the UK Border Force with HM Coastguard and give HMCG back its pre-1923 role of smuggling prevention.

Merge the Marine Scotland Compliance fleet and the Royal Navy Fisheries Protection Squadron with HM Coastguard, giving HMCG full responsibility for seagoing law enforcement in UK waters in a similar manner to the Unites States Coast Guard.

Pros

Unifying the Coastguard, Border Force cutter fleet, Marine Scotland fleet and RN Fisheries Protection squadron would eliminate duplication of duties. One fleet run by one entity would allow reductions in administration and management.

A unified Coastguard would be a visible and recognisable presence at sea, like a "bobby on the beat" on shore

Cons

It can be expected that some workers will be opposed to such a reorganisation, especially if jobs are lost.

The unified Coastguard will be a "shared resource", taking funding from different government departments. Deciding which department pays for what will become more difficult.

The role of the RNLI

In the USA and Canada, the Coast Guard runs the lifeboat service, but here in the UK, as well as in the Netherlands, Germany and many other countries, lifeboats are provided by non-governmental organisations (NGOs). The largest and most famous of these in Great Britain is the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI). The RNLI is self-funding through charitable donations and receives no support from government. Indeed previous suggestions that the RNLI should be state-operated or subsidised have been met with resistance, as the government's imposition of bureaucracy and regulations were regarded as detrimental to the service. The RNLI is and should remain an independent organisation working in cooperation with HM Coastguard. However it may be desirable for HM Coastguard to provide a lifeboat service in areas not covered by the RNLI or other lifeboat service.

The role of the General Lighthouse Authorities

In the USA, Canada, Japan, the Netherlands and many other countries, aids to navigation are the responsibility of the Coast Guard. In the UK, aids to navigation are the responsibility of the General Lighthouse Authorities. These are Trinity house in England, Wales, the Channel Islands and Gibraltar, the Northern Lighthouse Board in Scotland and the Isle of Man, and the Commissioners of Irish Lights (the C.I.L.) in Ireland (covering both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland). These organisations are self-funding through light dues. Although the NLB is a public body, Trinity House is an NGO, with a long history dating back to Tudor times. There may be some debate whether it is desirable for these services to be run directly by HM Coastguard or remain independent, but the current funding model means that lighthouses are not funded from general taxation.

The role of the UK Border Force

The UK Border Force is (from their website) "responsible for securing the United Kingdom borders and controlling migration in the United Kingdom. [They] manage border control for the United Kingdom, enforcing immigration and customs regulations." In essence, they have taken on the work previously carried out by the waterguard. Effectively this means that they have the same responsibility as the US Customs and Border Protection. My proposal of a US-style Coast Guard would mean customs cutters would be part of the Coastguard, rather than a part of the UK Border agency. I think we should look to the USA for our example with regards to the relationship between the Border Agency and the Coastguard.

The roles of the Marine Management Organisation, Marine Scotland and the Welsh Marine and Fisheries Division

After the passing of the Marine and Coastal Access Act in 2009, the Marine Management Organisation was established. This new body incorporates the functions formerly carried out by the Marine and Fisheries Agency (MFA), along with new powers to regulate planning in the marine environment, particularly with regards to offshore development, and establishing marine nature reserves. In 2017, the functions of the MMO in Wales were devolved to the Welsh Marine and Fisheries division. Marine Scotland was established to carry out the same functions at the MMO in Scotland, with Fisheries enforcement being already separately administered in Scotland since the establishment of the Fishery Board for Scotland in 1882.

In England, fisheries inspections are carried out on behalf of the MMO by the Royal Navy Fisheries Protection Squadron. In Scotland, they are carried out by Marine Scotland Compliance, formerly the Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency. The new Welsh Marine and Fisheries Division established its own fleet of Fisheries Protection Vessels in 2017.

My proposal would result in the Coastguard having responsibility for fisheries inspections throughout the UK. It would carry out this work on behalf of the MMO in England and Marine Scotland in Scotland, in a similar arrangement to that which exists between the MMO and the Royal Navy at present.