Registered Charity
About us
Who we are
About the National Coastwatch Institution (NCI):
The National Coastwatch Institution (NCI) is a Registered Charity (No. 1159975), established in 1994 and celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2024. Our objective is the preservation of life at sea and along the coasts of England and Wales by spotting vessels and/or people at risk or in distress and initiating their rescue. We maintain a visual and listening watch during daylight hours for 365 days per year from most of our 61 lookout stations and 96 CCTV cameras. When we do SPOT, we need to PLOT an exact position of the casualty and then REPORT the incident to the Coastguard Maritime Rescue Control Centres. If a lifeboat launches on service – we will if required maintain contact with the RNLI and ASSIST in steering them to the casualty. In 2025 our watchkeepers were involved in 937 search and rescue incident resulting in the rescue of 298 people and assistance provided to 568 people.
As an independent charity, NCI relies on public support and fundraising to maintain its stations, equipment, and training, enabling volunteers to continue their essential role in keeping coastal communities and visitors safe.
