In 1982, the United Nations established their Convention on the Law of the Sea, which aimed to clear up misconceptions about sea borders between nations. The treaty set several parameters for resource exploitation and travel.
Territorial Sea: within 12 nautical miles around the coast of a nation, they may continue imposing their laws
> "Innocent" travel allowed Contiguous Zone: state may exercise control up to 24 nautical miles to ensure following of treaties, etc Potential claim: if a country's shelf extends beyond 200 nautical miles, they may exploit subsoil up to 350 miles |
Thought UNCLOS meant well, its worst pitfall comes in that there is no way to directly monitor the extent to which states are following it. Furthermore, while the United States was integral in creating the convention, it has not been formally ratified by Congress. This has allowed them to skirt past its regulations when exploring the northern regions.
UNCLOS asks each member state to present a reccomendation outlining what they regard as their territory to the UN. Despite being a ratifying state, Canada has yet to present such, allowing limit testing to persist
The Arctic Exception - Article 234
The one piece of the convention that the United States regards as "binding customary law."
Sea Ice - regarded as parts of a country's claim due to seasonal changes in form
Larger Icebergs - non islands which states have no claim to and may not use to extend their zone of claim
UNCLOS asks each member state to present a reccomendation outlining what they regard as their territory to the UN. Despite being a ratifying state, Canada has yet to present such, allowing limit testing to persist
The Arctic Exception - Article 234
The one piece of the convention that the United States regards as "binding customary law."
Sea Ice - regarded as parts of a country's claim due to seasonal changes in form
Larger Icebergs - non islands which states have no claim to and may not use to extend their zone of claim