24-Hour Command Center: 866-881-1392
Location:
Sector St. Petersburg is located at 600 8TH AVE, S.E.ST. PETERSBURG, FL 33701.
Mission:
Coast Guard Sector St. Petersburg is committed to safeguarding lives, protecting the environment, and ensuring the security of the maritime domain along Florida's west coast and the Gulf of America. Through its dedicated team of Active Duty, Reserve, Civilian, and Auxiliary personnel, the Sector executes five primary missions: Search and Rescue, Marine Safety, Maritime Law Enforcement, Ports, Waterways, and Coastal Security, and Living Marine Resources. With unwavering dedication, Sector St. Petersburg strives to uphold the Coast Guard’s core values of Honor, Respect, and Devotion to Duty while serving the nation and its citizens.
Area of Responsibility (AOR):
Sector St. Petersburg’s AOR encompasses 400 nautical miles of Florida’s west coast, spanning 14 coastal counties from Wakulla/Jefferson County in the north to Collier/Monroe County in the south. This diverse maritime region includes critical waterways, vibrant coastal communities, and major seaports such as Port Tampa Bay, SeaPort Manatee, and Port St. Pete. These areas play a vital role in supporting economic activity, maritime commerce, and recreational boating, while also presenting unique operational challenges. Sector St. Petersburg remains vigilant in ensuring the safety, security, and environmental stewardship of this dynamic region.
Units and Installations:
Sector St. Petersburg’s AOR is supported by a robust network of field units and installations, including:
Small Boat Stations:
- Station Yankeetown
- Station Sand Key
- Station St. Petersburg
- Station Cortez
- Station Fort Myers Beach
Cutter Assets:
- USCGC Joshua Appleby (WLM 556)
- USCGC Crocodile (WPB 87369)
- USCGC Harold Miller (WPC-1138)
Specialized Units:
- Aids to Navigation Team (ATON)
- Detached Duty Fort Myers
Regional Cutter and Air Assets:
- USCGC Resolute
- USCGC Venturous
- Air Station Clearwater (AIRSTA)
Additional Units:
- Coast Guard Investigative Service (CGIS)
- RU St. Petersburg (AIRSTA)
- Port Security Unit 307 (AIRSTA)
- Recruiting Office St. Petersburg
Responsibilities:
Sector St. Petersburg oversees all Coast Guard missions within its Captain of the Port (COTP) zone and Area of Responsibility (AOR), including Search and Rescue, Ports, Waterways and Coastal Security, Marine Environmental Protection, Marine Safety, and Aids to Navigation.
Additional Details:
- Coast Guard Base St. Petersburg was commissioned on the north side of Bayboro Harbor in 1924. Sixteen cutters ranging from 75 to 125 feet were stationed here for the purpose of conducting anti-smuggling patrols. The base was decommissioned in 1933 to coincide with the lifting of Prohibition.
- The Coast Guard commissioned a station on the south side of Bayboro Harbor in 1928, and an air station was commissioned on the north side just six years later. The air station was constructed by the Works Projects Administration and was home to as many as 19 sea and scout planes during the height of World War II. The hangar and oversized boat ramp are examples of the facilities that remain from the original air station.
- When Air Station St. Petersburg relocated to Clearwater in 1976, Group/Station St. Petersburg moved into the vacated facilities on the north side of the harbor. The south side was converted into cutter moorings for aids to navigation tenders and medium endurance cutters. Group/Station St. Petersburg now encompassed both the north and south side of Bayboro Harbor totaling more than 22 acres. In 1997, the facility underwent a reorganization that defined Sector St. Petersburg as the host command, responsible for the entire facility.
- Each year Sector St. Petersburg personnel conduct, on average, more than 2600 rescue cases, assisting more than 7000 people and preserving property valued at 39 million dollars. The integrated Coast Guard team that carries out the sector's operational missions is comprised of over 825 Active Duty and Reserve Military Members, 27 Civilian, and 1800 Auxiliary personnel.