Convention on the Law of the SeaLaw of the Sea Convention LOCS by Vivek Bhave Period 2

1
Convention on the Law of the Sea/Law of the Sea
Convention (LOCS) by Vivek Bhave (Period 2)

• The LOSC is an international agreement produced
  at the Third United Nations Conference on the Law
  of the Sea. It was signed on December 10, 1982
  in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
• The United States has signed, but not yet
  ratified, the treaty some American politicians
  claim it threatens national sovereignty.
  However, the U.S. complies with almost all
  provisions of this agreement.

2
Purposes and Provisions

• The LOSC divides the worlds oceans into several
  zones
• Internal waters are lakes, rivers, and streams
  entirely within the borders of a nation. The
  government of the country in question has
  absolute control over these bodies of water, and
  the exploitation of their resources
• A country can claim the oceans that stretch up to
  12 miles from its shoreline as territorial
  waters. The government of the country in
  question has absolute control over these
  territorial waters, and the exploitation of their
  resources.
• A country can claim the waters that stretch up to
  24 miles from its shoreline as part of its
  contiguous zone in these waters the government
  of the country in question has the authority to
  enforce laws concerning matters such as
  smuggling.
• A country can claim the waters that stretch up
  to 200 miles from its shoreline as exclusive
  economic zone (EEZ). The government of the
  country in question has the exclusive right to
  tax and regulate fishing and mining in the
  exclusive economic zone. It also has the
  exclsuive rights to create artificial islands in
  these zones.
• The government of a country has the exclusive
  right to regulate mining in the continental shelf
  adjacent to the country in question.
• The International Seabed Authority has the
  exclusive right to tax and regulate mining in the
  open sea. The royalties raised by the agency are
  distributed among the nations of the world.
  Citizens of all countries retain their rights to
  fish, sail, and carry out scientific research in
  the open sea without regulation.
• If a species of fish spends part of its life
  cycle in the rivers of one nation, the government
  of that nation has the right to regulate the
  harvesting of that species, in consultation with
  the governments of the countries through whose
  EEZs the species travels.
• Enforcement of the Treaty is the responsibility
  of The International Tribunal for the Law of the
  Sea. The International Whaling Commission and
  the International Maritime Organization also play
  a role.