What is the International Law of the Sea?

The International Law of the Sea is a body of laws, conventions, and treaties which determine the rights and responsibilities of nations in relation to their use of the world’s oceans. The Law of the Sea provides the legal framework to govern international activities related to oceans such as marine scientific research, navigation, fishing, seabed mining and oil exploration. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) is the most comprehensive and widely accepted international treaty related to the use of the oceans. The Convention was adopted in 1982 and came into force in 1994. It is based on the principle of freedom of the seas, and it establishes the rights and responsibilities of users of the ocean, including coastal states, inland states, archipelagic states, and foreign vessels. UNCLOS provides a framework for nations to cooperate in managing the oceans. It also provides for the settlement of disputes between nations. The Convention also sets out rules concerning the creation and use of artificial islands, the delimitation of maritime boundaries, fishing rights, marine scientific research, and the protection of the marine environment. UNCLOS is administered by the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea (ITLOS), a judicial body created to resolve disputes over the interpretation and application of the Convention. In the US, the Implementation Act of the Convention on the Law of the Sea defines the guidelines that the US follows in relation to the Convention and its provisions. In New Hampshire, the Coastal Resources Management Council is responsible for the implementation of the Convention.

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What is the International Law of the Sea?

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