The Law of the Sea

The Law of the Sea is that part of Public International Law that regulates the rights and duties of States, and possibly other subjects of International Law, with regard to the use and utilization of the seas in time of peace. In this sense, the Law of the Sea is distinguished from the private maritime law, which regulates the rights and obligations of private persons with regard to maritime matters, such as the carriage of goods and maritime insurance.
Although some rules of the Law of the Sea can be traced to medieval private compilations governing primarily maritime rights and obligations of merchants and ship-owners in the Mediterranean, the Law of the Sea developed as part of the Law of Nations in the Seventeenth Century with the emergence of the modern national State system. The classical publicists drew on Roman Law and dealt with the matters of this subject in the natural law tradition. The best known publication, among the early writings on this subject, is the 1609 Hugo Grotius’ pamphlet “Mar Liberum” (Freedom of the Sea).
By the Nineteenth Century, as customary rules gradually produced a body of law based on State practice and consensus, the Law of the Sea, like other areas of Public International Law, developed into a system of customary principles and rules governing the rights and duties of States, mostly in the territorial sea and the high seas.
During the Nineteenth Century and the period before the Second World War, several unsuccessful attempts were made to codify the customary law of the sea. After the Second World War, several conferences were held for the objective of codifying the various aspects of the Law of the Sea. The first conference was the First United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS I), known as the 1958 Geneva Conference on the Law of the Sea, which led to the conclusion of four conventions: (1) The Convention on the Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone; (2) The Convention on the High Seas; (3) The Convention on the Continental Shelf; and (4) The Convention on Fishing and Conservation of the Living Resources of the High Seas. An Optional Protocol on the Compulsory Settlement of Dispute was signed.
The 1958 Geneva Conference on the Law of the Sea constitutes the first major codification of the Law of the Sea. Most of the provisions of the first two conventions, and some of the provisions of the Convention on the Continental Shelf, are a codification of customary law; while the others are a mixture of codification and progressive development of International Law as understood by the International Law Commission. Thus, although the conventions are binding only on States parties to them, many of their provisions can be used as evidence of customary law against States not parties to them. All these four conventions are still in force, but for a limited number of States; the United States of America is among those States since it has not yet ratified the 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The 1958 Geneva Conference failed to reach agreement on some questions, particularly on the width of the territorial sea and rights of coastal States in the areas of the high sea adjacent to their territorial seas. To deal with such questions, the Second United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS II), which is known as the 1960 Geneva Convention on the Law of the Sea, was convened; but this Conference failed to achieve its objectives. This reason, in addition to the dissatisfaction of some States with various rules laid down in the 1958 Convention and the technological, economic and political developments since its conclusion, led to the convene of the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, 1973-1982 (UNCLOS III). This Conference led to the conclusion of the United Nations
Convention of the Law of the Sea on December, 1982, which entered into force on November 16, 1994.
The 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea constitutes a comprehensive codification and development of contemporary international law governing the Sea in time of peace. Some of the provisions of the 1982 Convention codify the existing customary international law of the sea; this is particularly true of those provisions which repeat those of the four 1958 Conventions which codified customary law. Almost all the provisions of the four 1958 Conventions are repeated, modified or replaced by the 1982 Convention. But many of the provisions of the 1982 Convention depart from the existing customary law; and those provisions do not represent existing law on the Sea for States not parties to the 1982 Convention; they, however, indicate the directions in which the law may develop in the future. All States are prima faciebound by the customary rules, while only the parties to a particular convention will be bound by the new rules contained therein.
The 1982 Convention prevails over the four 1958 Conventions as among the States parties to it. It deals with most of the issues related to the Sea.

Among these issues are:
(1) Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone;
(2) Straits Used for International Navigation;
(3) Archipelagic States;
(4) Exclusive Economic Zone;
(5) Continental Shelf;
(6) High Seas;
(7) Regime of Islands;
(8) Enclosed or Semi-Enclosed Seas;
(9) Rights of Access of Land-Locked States to and from the Sea and Freedom of Transit;
(10) The Area;
(11) Protection and Preservation of the Marine Environment;
(12) Marine Scientific Research;
(13) Development and Transfer of Marine Technology; and
(14) Settlement of Disputes.

In the following sections, most of the questions related to the above issues as provided by the 1982 Convention are discussed.

Section 1: Territorial Sea
The 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea declares that the sovereignty of a coastal State extends, beyond its land territory and internal waters to an adjacent belt of sea, described as the territorial sea. Accordingly, the territorial sea, which is also known as territorial water, is a belt of sea adjacent to the coast of a State over which a coastal State exercises its sovereignty. The Convention provides that this sovereignty extends also to the air space over the territorial sea as well as to its bed and subsoil. However, the exercise by a coastal State of such sovereignty over its territorial sea is subject to the rules and limitations provided for in the said Convention and in the International Law.

A. Limits of the Territorial Sea
The Convention adopts the twelve-mile limit as a breadth of the territorial sea. It provides that every State has the right to establish the breadth of its territorial sea up to a limit not exceeding 12 nautical miles, measured from baselines determined by a normal baseline or/and straight baselines method; the coastal State may determine baselines in turn by any of these two methods to suit different conditions. The baseline is the line from which the breadth of the territorial sea and other coastal State zone, such as contiguous zone, exclusive economic zone or exclusive fishing zone, is measured. The baseline forms the boundary between the internal waters on the landward side of the coastal State and its territorial sea on its seaward side. Waters on the landward side of the baseline of the territorial sea form part of the internal waters of the State, over which the State has an absolute sovereignty. The outer limit of the territorial sea is the line every point of which is at a distance from the nearest point of the baseline equal to the breadth of the territorial sea.
The normal baseline for measuring the breadth of the territorial sea is the low-water line (the line on the shore reached by the sea at low tide) along the coast as marked on larger-scale charts officially recognized by the coastal State. The method of straight baselines joining appropriate points may be employed in drawing the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured if the coastline is deeply indented and cut into. However, this method may not be applied by a State in such a manner as to cut off the territorial sea of another State from the high seas or an exclusive economic zone. This method is also employed in a case of a river flowing directly into the sea or of a bay. In a case of a river, the baseline shall be a straight line across the mouth of the river between points on the low-water line of its banks. In a case of a bay, if the distance between the low-water marks of the natural entrance points of a bay does not exceed 24 nautical miles, a closing line may be drawn between these two low-marks, and the waters enclosed thereby shall be considered as internal waters. Where the distance between the low-water marks of the natural entrance points of a bay exceeds 24 nautical miles, a straight baseline of 24 nautical miles shall be drawn within the bay in such a manner as to enclose the maximum area of water that is possible with a line of that length, and the enclosed waters shall be considered as internal water; however, this rule does not apply to so-called “historic bay”.
For the purpose of delimiting the territorial sea, the outermost permanent harbor works which form an integral part of the harbor system are regarded as forming part of the coast; but off-shore installations and artificial islands shall are not considered as permanent harbor works. Roadsteads which are normally used for loading, unloading and anchoring of ships, and which are situated wholly or partly outside the outer limit of the territorial sea, are included in the territorial sea.
Where the coasts of two States are opposite or adjacent to each other, neither of the two States is entitled, failing agreement between them to the contrary, extend its territorial sea beyond the median line every point of which is equidistant from the nearest points on the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial seas of the two States is measured. This rule, however, does not apply where it is necessary by reason of historic title or other special circumstances to delimit the territorial seas of the two States in a different way.

B. Rights of the Coastal State over the Territorial Sea
As the 1982 Convention provides, the sovereignty of the coastal State extends to its territorial sea as well as to the air-space over its territorial sea, its bed and subsoil. In this regard the coastal State enjoys the following:

(1) The exclusive right to fish, and to exploit the resources of the seabed and subsoil of its territorial sea.

(2) The exclusive right in the air-space over its territorial sea to the exclusion of other States. Foreign aircrafts, unlike ships, have no right of innocent fly in the air-space over the territorial sea of a State.

(3) The right to enact laws and regulations, in conformity with the 1982 Convention and other rules of International Law, particularly in respect of navigation, health, customs, immigration and preservation of the environment.

(4) The right to take the necessary steps in its territorial Sea to prevent passage which is not innocent.

(5) The exercise of criminal jurisdiction on board of a foreign ship (arresting any person or conducting any investigation in connection with any crime committed on board of the foreign ship) in the following cases: if the consequences of the crime extend to it; if the crime is of a kind to disturb the peace of the country or the good order of its territorial sea; if the assistance of the local authorities has been requested; if the measures are necessary for the suppression of illicit traffic in narcotic drugs; or after leaving its internal water.

(6) The exercise of civil jurisdiction in relation to a foreign ship (levy execution against or arrest the ship for the purpose of any civil proceedings) in respect of obligations or liabilities assumed or incurred by the ship itself in the course or for the purpose of its voyage through its waters, or in respect of any civil proceedings against a foreign ship after leaving its internal waters.

C. The Right of Innocent Passage in the Territorial Sea
Under the 1982, the sovereignty of a coastal State over its territorial is subject to an important limitation, which is the right of innocent passage enjoyed by ships (merchant ships, governmental ships and warships) of all States, whether coastal or landlocked, over the territorial sea of the coastal State. Passage means navigation through the territorial sea for the purpose of traversing that sea without entering internal waters or calling at a roadstead or port facility outside internal waters, or proceeding to or from internal waters or a call at such roadstead or port facility. Passage must be continuous and expeditious; however, it may include stopping and anchoring in so far as they are incidental to ordinary navigation or are rendered necessary by force majeure or distress or for the purpose of rendering assistance to persons, ships or aircraft in danger or distress. Passage must take place in conformity with the 1982 Convention and with other rules of International Law. Passage must be innocent; it is innocent so long as it is not prejudicial to the peace, good order or security of the coastal State.
The right of innocent passage is also exists in internal waters where the establishment of a baseline in accordance with the straight baselines method provided by the 1982 Convention has the effect of enclosing as internal water areas which had not previously been considered as such.
The right of innocent passage is also enjoyed by submarines and other underwater vehicles. However, it is required that they navigate on the surface and show their flag.

The 1982 Conventions provides that the coastal State must not hamper the innocent passage of foreign ships through its territorial seas except in accordance with the Convention. The Coastal State, in the application of the Convention or of any laws or regulations adopted in conformity with it, must not impose requirements aiming at denying or impairing the right of innocent passage, or discriminate on form or in fact against the ships of any State or against ships carrying cargoes to, from or on behalf of any State. It must give appropriate publicity to any danger to navigation, of which it has knowledge, within its territorial sea. It must not levy any charges upon foreign ships by reason only of their passage through its territorial sea; charges may be levied as payment only for specific services rendered to the ship.

The coastal State is under a duty not to exercise its criminal jurisdiction on foreign ship passing through it territorial sea, except in the cases specified by the Convention (mentioned above). It is also under a duty not to exercise civil jurisdiction in relation to a foreign ship or a person on its board, except in the cases specified by the Convention (mentioned above). Notably, the warships and other government ships operated for non-commercial purposes are immune from any jurisdiction; however the coastal State, in a case of failure of any of these ships from complying with its laws and regulations, may order it to leave its territorial Sea immediately.

Against these duties, the coastal State entitled to certain rights in respect of the right of innocent passage granted to foreign ships. The coastal State may adopt laws and regulations, in conformity with the provisions of the Convention and other rules of International Law, related to innocent passage through its territorial sea, with which the foreign ships must comply. It may suspend temporarily in specified areas of its territorial sea the innocent passage of foreign ships for security reasons.

Section 2: Contiguous Zone
Contiguous zone is a maritime zone adjacent to the territorial sea of the coastal State over which that State, as provided by the 1982 Convention, may exercise the control necessary to prevent infringement of its customs, fiscal, immigration or sanitary laws and regulations within its territory or territorial sea and to punish infringement of these laws and regulations committed within its territory and territorial sea. According to the said Convention, the contiguous zone may not extend beyond 24 nautical miles from the baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured.
It follows from the provision of the 1982 Convention related to the contiguous zone that the rights of the coastal State over the contiguous zone do not amount to sovereignty. The coastal State may only exercise jurisdictional powers for the reasons specified by the Convention. Still other States have rights over these zones similar to those exercisable over the high seas except as they are qualified by the existence of jurisdictional zones. Moreover, these zones are not automatically belonging to coastal States as in the case of territorial sea; they must be specifically claimed by the State.

Section 3: Straits Used for International Navigation
A strait is a narrow natural sea passage connecting two large areas of the sea. The 1982 Convention defines international straits as straits used for international navigation either between one part of the high seas or an exclusive economic zone and another part of the high seas or an exclusive economic zone, or between a part of the high seas or an exclusive economic zone and the territorial sea of a foreign State; and it specifies a special regime of passage applicable to these international straits. This regime of passage, however does not apply to a strait used for international navigation if there exists through the strait a route through the high seas or through an exclusive economic zone of similar convenience with respect to navigational and hydrographical characteristics; in such routes, others provisions of the 1982 Convention, including those related to the freedom of navigation and over-flight, apply.

The regime of passage specified by the Convention, as the Convention provides, does not affect the legal status of the waters forming such straits or the exercise by the States bordering the straits of their sovereignty or jurisdiction over such waters and their air space, bed and subsoil; however, such sovereignty or jurisdiction of the bordering State is exercised subject to this regime and other rules of International Law. Moreover, this regime does not affect: any area of internal waters within a strait, except where the establishment of a baseline in accordance with the straight baselines method has the effect of enclosing as internal waters which had not previously considered as such; the legal status of the waters beyond the territorial seas of States bordering straits as exclusive economic zones or high seas; or the legal regime of straits in which passage is regulated in whole or in part by long-standing international convention in force specifically related to such straits (For example, the Turkish Straits of the Bosphorus and the Dardanelles which are regulated by the Montreux Convention of 1936).
The regime of passage in international straits specified in the Convention includes the right of transit passage and the right of innocent passage.

A. The Right of Transit Passage in International Straits
The right of transit passage is granted to all ships and aircrafts with respect of international straits used for international navigation between one part of the high seas or an exclusive economic zone and another part of the high seas or an exclusive economic zone. This right means the exercise of the freedom of navigation and over-flight solely for the purpose of continuous and expeditious transit of the international straits defined above. However, the requirement of continuous and expeditious transit does not preclude passage through the strait for the purpose of entering, leaving or returning from a State bordering the strait, subject to the conditions of entry to that State. Moreover, any activity which is not an exercise of the right of transit passage through a strait remains subject to the other applicable provisions of the Convention.
The Convention lists an exception to the right of transit passage through international straits defined above. It provides that if the strait is formed by an island of a State bordering the strait and its mainland and if there exists seaward of the island a route through the high seas or through an exclusive economic zone of similar convenience with respect to navigational and hydrographical characteristics, transit passage shall not apply; in such a strait, the right of innocent passage applies.
In exercising the right of transit passage, ships and aircraft must, mainly: observe the relevant provisions of the Convention, the relevant international regulations; comply with the laws and regulations
adopted by the States bordering the straits in conformity with the Convention; refrain from any threat or use of force against the sovereignty, territorial integrity or political independence of States bordering the strait; and refrain any activities other than those incidental to their normal modes of continuous and expeditious transit unless rendered necessary by force majeure or by distress. During transit passage, foreign ships, including marine scientific research and hydrographic survey ships must not carry out any research or survey activities without the prior authorization of the States bordering straits.
The Convention entitles the States bordering straits the right to adopt laws and regulations related to transit passage through straits in respect of safety of navigation and marine traffic, pollution, fishing, and loading or unloading of commodity, currency or persons. However, such laws and regulations must not discriminate in form or in fact among foreign ships, or hamper or impair the right of transit passage, and must be given due publicity.
The States bordering straits are under a duty not to hamper transit passage and to give appropriate publicity to any danger to navigation or over-flight within or over the strait of which they have knowledge. Moreover, they must not suspend transit passage for whatever reason.

B. The Right of Innocent Passage
According to the Convention, the regime of innocent passage applies to straits used for international navigation, particularly those excluded from the application of the regime of transit passage (a strait formed by an island of a State bordering the strait and its mainland where there exists seaward of the island a route through the high seas or through an exclusive economic zone of similar convenience with respect to navigational and hydrographical characteristics), or those connect a part of the high seas or an exclusive economic zone and the territorial sea of a foreign State.
The right of innocent passage granted to ships and aircraft in these straits are governed by the provisions of the Convention related to the right of innocent passage in the territorial sea, except that no suspension of innocent passage through such straits is permitted, for whatever reason.

Section 4: The Exclusive Economic Zone
The 1982 Convention provides that the exclusive economic zone is an area beyond and adjacent to the territorial sea, subject to the specific legal regime established by the Convention. The exclusive economic zone, as the Convention provides, should not extend beyond 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured. In this zone, the Convention establishes sovereign rights and jurisdiction for the coastal States, as well as, rights and freedoms for other States.
Under the Convention, the coastal State has, in the exclusive economic zone, sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the natural resources, whether living or non-living, of the waters superjacent to the sea-bed and of the sea-bed and its subsoil, and with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration of the zone, such as the production of energy from the water, current and winds. The coastal State also has the jurisdiction with regard to: the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations and structures; marine scientific research; and the protection and preservation of the marine environment. In exercising its rights and performing its duties under the Convention in the exclusive economic zone, the coastal State should have due regard to the
rights and duties of other States and should act in a manner compatible with the provisions of the Convention.
All States, whether coastal or land-locked States, enjoy, subject to the relevant provisions of the Convention, the high seas freedom of navigation, over-flight and of laying of submarine cables and pipelines in the exclusive economic zone. In exercising their rights and performing their duties under the Convention in the exclusive economic zone, States should have due regard to the rights and duties of the coastal State and should comply with the laws and regulations adopted by the coastal State in accordance with the provisions of the Convention and other compatible rules of International Law.
The Conventions provides that in cases of conflict over rights or jurisdiction of the coastal State or of other States within the exclusive economic zone, the conflict should be resolved on the basis of equity and in the light of all the relevant circumstances. As regarding the delimitation of the exclusive economic zone between States with opposite or adjacent coasts, the Convention provides that it should be effected by agreement on the basis of International Law; if no agreement can be reached within a reasonable period of time, the States concerned should resort to the procedures of settlement of disputes provided for in the Convention.

Section 5: The Continental Shelf
The 1982 Convention defines the continental shelf of the coastal State as “the sea-bed and subsoil of the submarine area that extend beyond its territorial sea throughout the natural prolongation of its land territory to the outer edge of the continental margin, or to a distance of 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured where the outer edge of the continental margin does not extend to that distance”. Where the continental margin extends beyond 200 miles, the Convention provides that the continental shelf should not extend more than 350 nautical miles from the baselines or 100 nautical miles from the 2500 meter depth. The continental margin, as the Convention provides, comprises the submerged prolongation of land mass of the coastal State, and consists of the sea-bed and subsoil of the shelf, the slope and the rise; it, however, does not include the deep ocean floor with its oceanic ridges or the subsoil thereof.
As regarding the delimitation of the continental shelf between States with opposite or adjacent coasts, the Convention provides that it should be effected by agreement on the basis of International Law; if no agreement can be reached within a reasonable period of time, the States concerned should resort to the procedures of settlement of disputes provided for in the Convention.

In the continental shelf, the Convention establishes sovereign rights for the coastal States and rights and freedoms for other States, as well as, imposes duties on them. The coastal State may exercise over the continental shelf sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring it and exploiting its natural resources. Such rights are exclusive in the sense that if the coastal State does not explore the continental shelf or exploit its natural resources, no one may undertake these activities without the express consent of the coastal State. The coastal State has the exclusive right to construct and to authorize and regulate the construction, operating and use of artificial islands, installations and structures on the continental shelf, as well as, to authorize and regulate drilling on the continental shelf for all purposes. It has the right to establish reasonable safety zones around its installations to a limit of 500 meters, which must be respected by ships of all States.

The Convention provides that the rights of the Coastal State over the continental shelf do not depend on occupation or any express proclamation, and do not affect the legal status of the superjacent waters or
of the air above those waters. In exercising its rights over the continental shelf, the convention requires from the coastal State not to infringe or result in any unjustifiable interference with navigation and other rights and freedoms of other States as provided for in the Convention (such as the laying or maintenance of cables or pipelines). Moreover, the Convention imposes upon the coastal State to pay to the International Sea-Bed Authority annual payments or contributions in kind in respect of the exploitation of the nonliving resources of the continental shelf beyond 200 miles; such payments or contributions shall be distributed by the Authority to the States parties to the Convention, on the basis of equitable sharing criteria, taking into account the interests and needs of developing States, particularly the least developed and the land-locked among them.
Under the Convention, all States are entitled to lay cables and pipelines on the continental shelf, in accordance with the relevant provisions of the Convention.

Section 6: The High Seas
The 1982 Convention defines the high seas as “all parts of the sea that are not included in the exclusive economic zone, in the territorial sea or in the internal waters of a State, or in the archipelagic waters of an archipelagic State.” Under the Convention the high seas are open to all States, whether coastal or landlocked, and that the freedom of the high seas is exercised under the conditions laid down by the Convention and other rules of International Law. Such a freedom comprises inter alia the freedom of navigation, over-flight, the laying of submarine cables and pipelines, the construction of artificial islands and other installation permitted under International Law, fishing, and the conduct of scientific research. These freedoms must be exercised by all States with due regard for the interests of other States in their exercise of the freedom of the high seas, and also with due regard for the rights under the Convention concerning activities in the International Sea- Bed Area.
Moreover, the high seas shall be reserved for peaceful purposes. No State may purport to subject any part of the high seas to its sovereignty. Every State, whether coastal or land-locked, has the right to sail ships flying its flag on the high sea, to exercise its jurisdiction in civil and penal matters, and to exercise control in administrative, technical and social matters over them.

Section 7: Land-locked States
“Land-locked State” means a State which has no sea-coast. The 1982 Convention provides that land-locked States have the right of access to and from the sea for the purpose of exercising the rights provided for in the Convention including those related to the freedom of the high seas and the common heritage of mankind, the right of innocent passage in the territorial sea of coastal States, the right of transit and innocent passage in international straits, and the right of laying submarine cables and pipelines in the continental shelf. To this end, the land-lock States enjoy freedom of transit through the territory of transit States by all means of transport. “Transit State” means a State, with or without a sea-coast, situated between a land-locked State and the sea, through whose territory traffic in transit passes.
The Convention provides that terms and modalities for exercising freedom of transit shall be agreed between the land-locked States and transit States through bilateral, sub-regional or regional agreements.
For the convenience of traffic in transit, free zones or other customs facilities may be provided at the ports of entry and exit in the transit States, by agreement between those States and the land-locked States. Traffic in transit shall not be subject to any customs duties, taxes or other charges except charges levied for specific services rendered in connection with such traffic. Transit States shall take all appropriate measures to avoid delays or other difficulties of a technical nature in traffic in transit. In the exercise of their full sovereignty over their territory, transit States shall have the right to take all measures necessary to ensure that the rights and facilities provided for in the Convention for land-locked States shall in no way infringe their legitimate interests.

Section 8: The Area and the Authority
The “Area” as defined by the 1982 Convention means the sea-bed and ocean floor and subsoil thereof, beyond the limits of national jurisdiction.[26] Under the Convention, the Area and its resources (solid, liquid or gaseous mineral) are deemed to be the common heritage of mankind and no sovereign or other rights may be recognized. However, minerals recovered from the Area only in accordance with the Convention are alienable. Activities in the Area are to be carried out for the benefit of mankind as a whole by or on behalf of “the International Seabed Authority” established under the Convention.[27] The Authority is to provide for the equitable sharing of such benefits.
The Area shall be open to use exclusively for peaceful purposes by all States, whether coastal or land-locked, without discrimination and without prejudice to the provisions of the Convention. Marine scientific research in the Area shall be carried out, by or on behave of the Authority, exclusively for peaceful purposes and for the benefits of mankind as a whole in accordance with the Convention.
The International Seabed Authority (the Authority) is the autonomous organization which the States parties to the 1982 Convention have agreed to establish in order to organize and control activities in the Area, particularly to administer the resources of the Area. All States parties to the Convention are ipso facto members of the Authority. The Authority became fully operational in June 1996. The seat of the Authority is in Jamaica; it may establish such regional centers or offices as it deems necessary for the exercise of its functions.
The Authority may exercise the powers and functions which are expressly conferred upon it by the Convention, and such incidental powers, consistent with the Convention, as are implicit in and necessary for the exercise of those powers and functions with respect to activities in the Area. It consists of the principal organs, which are the Assembly, the Council and the Secretariat, the Enterprise, and certain subsidiary organs.

Section 9: Enclosed or Semi-Enclosed Seas
Enclosed and semi-enclosed seas as defined by the 1982 Convention means a gulf, basin or sea surrounded by two or more States and connected to another sea or the ocean by narrow outlet or consisting entirely or primarily of the territorial seas and exclusive economic zones of two or more coastal States. The Convention requires the States bordering an enclosed or semi-enclosed sea to co-operate with each other in the exercise of their rights and in the performance of their duties under the Convention. To
this end these States are required to endeavor, directly or through an appropriate regional organization to co-ordinate: the management, conservation, exploration and exploitation of living resources of the sea; the implementation of their rights and duties with respect to the protection and preservation of the marine environment; their scientific research policies and undertake where appropriate joint programmes of scientific research in the area. These States are also required to invite, as appropriate, other interested States or international organizations to co-operate with them.
Actually, there are more than twenty marine areas which can be regarded as enclosed or semi-enclosed seas according to the criteria specified by the 1982 Convention. Among these areas are the Baltic Sea, the Black Sea, the Caribbean Sea, the East China Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, the Red Sea, the South China Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, the Gulf of Oman, and the Arabian Gulf. In international practice, co-operation among the States bordering enclosed or semi-enclosed seas has been taken in matters such as conservation of the living resources and marine pollution prevention and control.

References:
[1] See generally E.D. Brown, The International Law of the Sea, 2 vols., Aldershot (1994); Oppenheim, vol. 1, chapter 6; R. Churchill and A.V. Lowe, The law of the Sea, 3rd ed., Manchester (1999);
D.P. O’Connell, The International law of the Sea, 2 vols., Oxford (1982-4); Brownlie, part IV; Shaw, chapter 11; and Malanczuk, chapter 12.
[2] Bledsoe and Boczek, p. 222.
[3] Id.
[4] Text in 516 U.N.T.S. 205.
[5] Text in 450 U.N.T.S. 82.
[6] Text in 499 U.N.T.S. 311.
[7] 52 A.J.I.L. (1958), 851.
[8] Text in 450 U.N.T.S. 169.
[9] Malanczuk, p. 173.
[10] Id.
[11] Text in 21 I.L.M. (1982) 1261.
[12] The 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea arts. 2-32.
[13] Id. arts. 3-16.
[14] Id. arts. 2, 21, 22, 25-28.
[15] Id. arts. 17-20 & 24.
[16] Id. art. 33.
[17] Id. arts. 34-36.
[18] Id. arts. 37-39, 42 & 44.
[19] Id. art. 45.
[20] Id. arts. 55-57.
[21] Id. arts. 76-85.
[22] Id. art. 76(1).
[23] Id. arts. 86-120.
[24] Id. arts. 124-130.
[25] Id. arts. 133-191.
[26] Id. art. 1(1).
[27] Id. art. 156.
[28] Id. arts. 122-123.