Which Waters Are Federally Controlled?

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

• Coastal waters
• 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

Coastal Waters

Washington sometimes uses “coastal waters” instead of “federally controlled waters.” These waters include:

• The U.S. waters of the Great Lakes
• The territorial seas of the United States
• Waters (such as bays, sounds, harbors, rivers, inlets, etc.) which are more than two miles wide and are connected directly to one of the above