Exclusive Economic Zone Protection

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marktigger
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Exclusive Economic Zone Protection

Post by marktigger »

Currently the UK EEZ is patrolled by a number of Agencies from different departments of government Including the Royal Navy, UK Border Force, Scottish Fisheries Protection service, Maritime and Coast Guard Agency. All fulfilling slightly different roles but with some over laps.
Is there a need for a more integrated approach? Could the money spent on the differing agencies be utilized better with say multi agency vessels?

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shark bait
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Re: Exclusive Economic Zone Protection

Post by shark bait »

I think there definitely should be a more integrated approach, there must duplication of efforts between the various branches we have at the moment. There is potential for a combined force to be greater than the sum of its parts, hopefully resulting in greater coverage and increased visibility.

How it would be arranged it difficult.

Would you make it all part of the royal navy, so the border force cutters become commissioned as one of Her Majesty's Ship's. They could then be crewed as a hybrid between Royal Navy, Reserves, Environmental, and Border force staff, keep the complement flexible tailored to each deployment like the tailored air group. I then cant see how the civilian aviation and land units would fit together.

The other option is make everything civilian. Currently the Department for Environment pays the Royal Navy around 8 million a year to deliver fisheries protection, perhaps instead that should go to the border force who can deliver inspection officers to vessels. The civilian contracted fix wing coastguard would fit into this structure well, providing data on both fisheries and smuggling as part of a single authority, all under the border force brand.

I'm not sure how the search and rescue part of the coastguard would integrate into another organization, it probably best off as an independent entity.
@LandSharkUK

marktigger
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Re: Exclusive Economic Zone Protection

Post by marktigger »

new zealand have naval vessels carrying representitives of other government departments. So the fisheries boards officer if from the ministry that covers fisheries

Repulse
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Re: Exclusive Economic Zone Protection

Post by Repulse »

The biggest concern for me is the protection of UK BOTs EEZ protection which when added to the UK EEZ is the 5th largest in the world. More UAV and RN patrol craft are needed.
”We have no eternal allies, and we have no perpetual enemies. Our interests are eternal and perpetual, and those interests it is our duty to follow." - Lord Palmerston

marktigger
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Re: Exclusive Economic Zone Protection

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