The Federation Naval Patrol is a naval department of the Federation that deals with sea ships patrolling the oceans of Federation worlds, similar to how starships patrol Federation space.
- The novelization of Star Trek states that Iowa's easy accessability to Mississippi River shipping lanes was a key factor in Starfleet's decision to build the USS Enterprise there - suggesting that, on at least some Federation worlds, maritime commerce is still very much a fact of life.
As a child, Tom Paris was obsessed with stories about the ocean and ancient sailing ships. His plan was to finish high school and join the Federation Naval Patrol, but his father, Admiral Owen Paris, pressured him to serve in Starfleet. (VOY: "Thirty Days")
- Though there was never any further information on screen, it is possible that the Federation Naval Patrol is something like the U.S. Coast Guard, or perhaps an offshoot of the Royal Navy or United States Navy.