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Home , Coast guard, Corsica, French Guiana, Toulon

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FRENCH – YOUR PARTNER FOR SAFETY AT FRENCH CUSTOMS’ SEA AND AIR SURVEILLANCE SYSTEM FRENCH CUSTOMS’ PRESENCE AT SEA MEANS SAFETY FOR AND FOR EUROPE.EUROPE guard patrol Surveillance aircraft Dunkerque boats (PGC) Boulogne Twin- engine IT ALSO MEANS SAFER WATER SPORTS. IT ALSO MEANS SAFER WATER SPORTS. Single- patrol engine Cherbourg boats of 21 m or longer (VGC

POLMAR aircraft Inshore patrol vessel (VSR)

ROUEN Helicopters Granville 14 m Brest Saint-Malo 10 m AS 355 Lann-Bihoué Teaching vessels Lorient EC 135 SAFETY FOR FRANCE La Trinité Dugny

Saint-Nazaire Shared between AND FOR EUROPE Le Havre and Hyères

As part of its inter-ministerial remit, French Customs Maritime prefecture headquarters HEADQUARTERS OF A REGIONAL COAST GUARD DIRECTORATE watches over more than 5,000 km of the country’s (DRGC) AND A CUSTOMS OPERATIONS CENTER (COD) coastlines, both in and over- DRGC (Channel / North Sea) . Nantes DRGC (Atlantic) Royan DRGC (Mediterranean) Its coast guard department employs 800 marine and French DRGC aviation specialists deployed on 40 and 15 air- Interregional Directorate Dugny Air and naval departments craft – 2 of which are fitted with -de- tecting equipment – and 9 helicopters Menton MARSEILLE La Grande-Motte Cannes Port-de-Bouc Bayonne Sète Ste-Maxime Customs and tax controls at the EU’s Grau-d’Agde Hyères maritime borders web : douane.gouv.fr Port-la-Nouvelle

French Customs combats maritime in all Port-Vendres its forms, because:

FORT-DE -FRANCE

l Drugs, weapons, ammunition and explosives are a threat to health and public safety Pointe-à-Pitre Le Lamentin l Smuggled , alcohol and counterfeits Basse Terre are detrimental to the economic interests of both Le Marin Marigot France and EU SAINT-MARTIN Porto-Vecchio

Papeete French Customs intercepts and seizes fraudulent Dzaoudzi goods and the vessels carrying them, including as part of internationally-coordinated operations.

French Customs’ coast guard department l Use a VHF radio rather than a cell phone to be takes part in cross-ministerial missions more easily located coordinated by France’s maritime Prefects l Tell someone where you are going before every trip l Pay strict attention to buoy markers along the The coast guard’s key missions, which are set by the beaches Government, include: l Stay within the speed limits and observe the l Rescuing individuals and providing assistance rules for navigation to ships in danger l Watch out for other users, such as swimmers l Combatting smuggling and and divers l Fighting discharges of pollutants and ocean l Don’t exceed the capacities of your boat or its pollution crew l Stopping illegal fishing l Don’t throw trash overboard – drop it into a l Keeping an eye on marine protected areas container back at port

Its other mandates include: Windsurfers, divers and other water sports enthu- l  and accident prevention siasts l Security at sea – combatting , Remember: you might get into trouble out at sea or and banditry after sunset – help others find you by wearing bright l Protection of France’s marine natural and colours and carrying a signalling device. cultural heritage (environmental quality, wrecks, amphoras, etc.) If you get into trouble, don’t panic and don’t RECREATIONAL BOATING SAFETY ! leave your boat or equipment.

If you witness an accident at sea, you must immediately and Communication Department Information When on patrol at sea, French Customs’ coast guard inform the closest Regional Operational Rescue and Sur- department: veillance Centre (CROSS): l Ensures that users of boats and watercraft — CROSS North Sea (Gris Nez): +33 3 21 87 21 87 comply with safety rules and regulations (rules for navigation, speed, safety equipment) — CROSS Channel (Jobourg): +33 2 33 52 72 13 — CROSS North (Corsen): +33 2 98 89 31 31 l Seeks out, assists and rescues individuals in trouble at sea — CROSS South Brittany (Etel): +33 2 97 55 35 35 — CROSS Mediterranean (La Garde): +33 4 94 61 16 16 French Customs is there to help, but don’t — MRSC Aspretto (): +33 4 95 20 13 63 THE COAST GUARD TEAMS OF ! take unnecessary risks! — CROSS French Antilles-French Guiana (Fort-de-France): +33 5 96 70 92 92 Pleasure boaters and users of personal watercraft FRENCH CUSTOMS: KEEPING l Check the weather and keep informed about local risks Directorate General of Customs and Excise (DGDDI) FRANCE’S COASTLINES SAFE

l Before you set out, make sure that your boat 11, rue des deux Communes - 93558 Montreuil Cedex MAY 2014 Infos Douane Service: (check the hull, rigging, engine, lights, fittings, - from France 0 811 20 44 44 (price of a local call) anchor, etc.) and the safety equipment (rafts, - from outside metropolitan France or abroad + 33 (0)1 72 40 78 50 life jackets, flares, etc.) are in good shape; Free smartphone app: DOUANE Fr check stocks (oils, fuel, water, etc.) www.douane.gouv.fr – Twitter: @douane_france