Which Waters Are Federally Controlled?

Federally controlled waters are waters on which vessels must observe federal requirements, including VDS requirements. These waters include:

• Coastal waters (includes territorial waters, harbors, and bays and rivers as far as they are affected by the tides)
• The Great Lakes
• Territorial seas
• Bodies of water connected directly to one of the above, up to a point where the body of water is less than two miles wide