Editing Coast guard (section)

==Role==
[[File:US and Canadian Coast Guard sailors, on the bridge, 120814-G-NB914-035.JPG|thumb|US coast guardsmen and Canadian navy sailors working together]]
[[File:Lotsbergets sjöbevakningsstation.jpg|thumb|Coast Guard Station in [[Mariehamn]], [[Åland]]]]
Among the responsibilities that may be entrusted to a coast guard service are:

* search and rescue,
* enforcement of [[maritime law]],
* safety of vessels,
* maintenance of [[seamark]]s, and
* [[border control]].

During wartime, some national coast guard organisations might have a role as a naval reserve force with responsibilities in harbor defenses, [[port security]], naval [[counter-intelligence]] and coastal patrols.

The coast guard may, varying by jurisdiction, be a [[Military branch|branch]] of a country's [[military]], a law enforcement agency, or a search and rescue body. For example, the [[United States Coast Guard]] is a specialized military branch with law enforcement authority, whereas the [[United Kingdom]]'s [[His Majesty's Coastguard]] (HMCG) is a civilian organisation whose primary role is search and rescue.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga07-home/aboutus.htm |title=MCA – About us |publisher=Mcga.gov.uk |access-date=2012-11-09 |archive-date=2011-02-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110201234029/http://www.mcga.gov.uk/c4mca/mcga07-home/aboutus.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> Most coast guards operate [[ship]]s and [[aircraft]] including [[helicopter]]s and [[seaplane]]s that are either owned or leased by the agency in order to fulfil their respective roles.

Some coast guards, such as the [[Irish Coast Guard]], have only a very limited law enforcement role, usually in enforcing maritime safety law, such as by inspecting ships docked in their jurisdiction.<ref>{{cite web |author=Library, Department of Transport. Aviation. Aer Lingus Affairs |url=http://www.transport.ie/marine/IRCG/CGinformation/index.asp?lang=ENG&loc=2076#gen |title=Department of Transport: General Coast Guard Information |publisher=Transport.ie |date=2001-10-25 |access-date=2012-11-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120819193910/http://www.transport.ie/marine/IRCG/CGinformation/index.asp?lang=ENG&loc=2076#gen |archive-date=2012-08-19 }}</ref>  In cases where the coast guard is primarily concerned with ''coordinating'' rather than executing rescue operations, [[Lifeboat (rescue)|lifeboat]]s are often provided by civilian voluntary organisations, such as the [[Royal National Lifeboat Institution]] in the [[United Kingdom]] and Ireland, whilst aircraft may be provided by the countries' [[armed forces]], such as the search and rescue [[Westland Sea King|Sea Kings]] formerly operated by the [[Royal Air Force]] and [[Royal Navy]], in addition to any of the HMCG's own helicopters.