Delimitation by a single maritime boundary : a preliminary view

Abstract

The consolidation of the law relating to the Continental Shelf following the 1945 United States Proclamation on the Continental Shelf I encouraged many States to claim jurisdiction over the Shelf resources. In a number of cases these claims brought about boundary disputes. For a number of years most States chose to delimit their Shelf claims without delimiting the superjacent waters. By the late seventies however there was firm evidence to suggest that under customary law a coastal State had the right to claim an Exclusive Fishery Zone (E.F.Z) up to 200-nautical miles (n.m.) in breadth. This development was complemented by the practice of a growing number of States which supported or claimed an Exclusive Economic Zone (E.E.Z). This institution enabled the coastal State to claim inter alia sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources up to 200-n.m. from the coast.