Does the Coast Guard Charge for Rescues or Assistance?

I am considering membership in a commercial assistance towing service for my boat, but I am a little confused about the interaction between these services and the U.S. Coast Guard. Under what circumstances will the Coast Guard respond to a call rather than deferring to a commercial service? Does the Coast Guard charge a fee if they respond to a distress call? Do they charge for a non-emergency call? Do they have any discretion regarding whether to waive a fee? The Coast Guard does not charge a fee to provide assistance to a boat at sea. Coast Guard fees are established by federal statute, and for the most part these fees are limited to documentation services, vessel inspection and mariner licensing. The Coast Guard is expressly prohibited by statute (Title 46 US Code, sec. 2110) from charging a fee for any search and rescue service, so this is not something that is subject to a discretionary waiver. The fee question is therefore very clear. However, the question of whether the Coast Guard will respond to a particular call is a lot more complicated. In 1982, Congress directed the Coast Guard to review its policies for towing and salvage of disabled vessels,...