Border Control

Border control is a part of maintaining security at borders.

Border control comprises surveillance in Finnish territorial waters and economic zone in sea area. West Finland Coast Guard District is responsible of border control in its operational area. Surveillance is carried out by radars, cameras, and surface and airborne units. Border control protects Finland’s territorial integrity and ensures that both international and national regulations are followed in the Finnish waters.

West Finland Coast Guard District patrols in sea and archipelago areas in all weather conditions throughout the year. Patroling is performed by vessels, boats, ice vehicles, snowmobiles and cars. As the Coast Guard often is the only authority in sea areas, the archipelago can be inhabited all year round both as a permanent and casual residence. Border control and other surveillance duties are also carried out by airplanes and helicopters in co-operation with the Air Patrol Squadron.

Security Services

In addition to surveillance in sea areas, border control in West Finland Coast Guard District entails providing security services in sea and archipelago areas. This includes:

• water and cross-country traffic control
• supervision of fishing and hunting
• environment control

Traffic control ensures the security of people travelling in water and coastal areas by checking the equipment used, condition of the driver and skills, when needed. Cross-country traffic does not include road traffic, which is the responsibility of the Police. Instead it includes, for instance, snow mobile traffic and people travelling on ice, which is the case especially in the northern parts of the operational area.

By supervising fishing and hunting, the Coast Guard District aims to cut down illegal fishing and hunting equipment and to reduce fishing and hunting outside the season and above the allotment. Environment control aims to preserve clean and intact sea and archipelago areas also for the future generations.

Border control key figures
Patrol hours per year	48 000
Checks per year	55 000