Limits Of Continental Shelf Research Articles

Canada’s claim to the continental shelf in the Arctic

Canada ratified the UNCLOS in 2003 and thus had to submit scientific and technical data to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) no later than 2013 to extend its continental shelf beyond 200 miles from the coast. Initially the Canadian submission was to include data for both the Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic Ocean. However the requirement in 2013 by Canadian Prime Minister S. Harper to include the seabed at the North Pole in the submission forced the Canadian government to split the submission into two parts: in 2013 data on the outer limit of Canada's continental shelf in the Atlantic Ocean were submitted to the CLCS, and in 2019 - on the Arctic. In the 2019 submission Canada claimed a seabed area of 1.2 million square kilometers, including the North Pole. In December 2022 Canada submitted an addendum to its 2019 proposal to the CLCS, in which it further increased its claims to the continental shelf in the Arctic, bringing the boundaries of its shelf to the Russian exclusive economic zone. The increase in the area of disputed areas of the continental shelf between Russia, Canada and Denmark means that the decisive role in establishing the boundaries of the continental shelf of these countries in the Arctic will be played by the corresponding negotiations between these countries. The February 2023 approval by the CLCS of Russian claims to the Lomonosov Ridge and the Alpha-Mendeleev Rise is important for Canada as well, as it also legitimizes Canada's right to claim the continental shelf in the Arctic beyond 350 miles from its coast. The extreme aggravation of relations between Russia and the West since 2022 complicates the division of the continental shelf in the Arctic between the countries of this region.

Комплексные геолого-геофизические исследования по обоснованию внешней границы континентального шельфа России в Охотском и Восточно-Сибирском морях (2006–2009 гг.): обзор

The paper discusses the results of complex geological and geophysical studies of the deep structure of the seabed along the profiles “Magadan – Southern Kurils” (2-DV-M), “Shantar Islands – Northern Kurils” (1-OM) and “Cape Billings – Outer Continental Shelf Limits” (5-AR), carried out in 2006–2009 within the framework of the State program of expeditionary works on substantiation of national sovereignty over the continental shelf in the Sea of Okhotsk and East Siberian Sea. The main executors were the staff of the V.I. Il’ichev Pacific Oceanological Institute of FEB RAS and Federal State Unitary Scientific and Production Company (FSUSPC) Sevmorgeo. A special role was assigned to gas-geochemical studies with the purpose to establish regional background and anomalous gas fields to assess prospects for oil, gas and gas hydrates. As a result of complex geological and geophysical expeditions led by A.A. Merezhko (Sevmorgeo) in the Sea of Okhotsk, it was established that the enclave outside the 200-mile zone in the central part of the water area does not differ in geological structure from the adjacent parts and is a natural continuation of the framing geological structures of the basement. The evidence obtained was sufficient to successfully justify the application to the UN. On March 11, 2014, after careful consideration of the application and draft recommendations, the enclave of international waters in the Sea of Okhotsk was legally assigned to the Russian Federation. Studies in the East Siberian Sea have provided a huge amount of data on lithology, geochemistry and gas potential of bottom sediments in this area.

End of the common arctic seabed: recent state practice in the establishment of continental shelf limits beyond 200 nm

ABSTRACT The Arctic has been the focus of considerable attention over the past 10–15 years, often in connection with the alleged ‘race’ for the region’s natural resources. This article focuses on the extension of sovereign rights beyond 200 nm in the Arctic Ocean – in particular, the criteria and procedures for delineating the continental shelf under the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea and the most recent developments in state practice. As coastal states continue to update their shelf submissions before the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS), there would to be little, if any, international seabed area left in the central Arctic Ocean.

The Legal Aspects of the Establishment of the Outer Limits of Continental Shelf in the Arctic by the United States

The Legal Aspects of the Establishment of the Outer Limits of Continental Shelf in the Arctic by the United States

Institute of Marine Geology and Geophysics - 30 years for studying geology and geophysics in the marine zones of Vietnam and Eastern Sea

Geological and geophysical investigation and study in the marine zones of Vietnam and Eastern Sea, its application in the mineral exploration, for natural disaster and hazard prevention, environment and resource protection, for sea and island management, marine economic development, sea defence and security is the important, main and long-term tasks of the Institute of Marine Geology and Geophysics. For last 30 years, the institute has a leading role for conducting a numerous projects of national and international programs of marine research and investigation in the marine zones of Vietnam and Eastern Sea. The obtained results and achievements include big, abundant, up to date databases, newest and detailed schemes and maps, valuable published papers, books, and contributions on characteristics of geophysical fields, deep crustal structure, seabed sediment and environment, geological structure and tectonic evolution, seismotectonics and earthquake, tsunami hazard assessment, mineral potential and perspective evaluation. Results of study on geophysical fields, deep crustal structure, seabed topography and geomorphology have been used for determination of outer limits of continental shelf of Vietnam in the Eastern Sea. Big part of the results was gained from research and investigation projects conducted in the Truong Sa and Hoang Sa areas. On the basis of the obtained achievements, some special tasks are proposed to continue conducting the geological and geophysical research and investigation in the sea of Vietnam and adjacent areas.

The Outer Limits of the Continental Shelf Under Customary International Law

Abstract“Seldom has an apparent major change in international law been accomplished by peaceful means more rapidly and amidst more general acquiescence and approval,” Lauterpacht observed of continental shelf claims nearly seventy years ago. When considered today, this observation merits a caveat, as the question of how far the continental shelf extends into the sea is not yet fully settled. This article explores the customary international law applicable for determining continental shelf limits and also examines the legal procedures used by states to gain international acceptance of those limits.

Considerations about the recommendations of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf on the Amazon fan

In 2004, Brazil submitted to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) a Submission for the outer limit of the Brazilian continental shelf for its extension beyond the limits of 200 nautical miles. In 2007, the CLCS presented its recommendations, however it did not recommend four areas proposed by Brazil, the Amazon Fan among them. The objective of this study is to present the main legal and technical aspects of the controversy about the Amazon Fan, in order to evaluate some alternatives for a future submission, new or revised.

Preliminary considerations on the potential influence of submarine fans on marine delimitation

The complex issues associated with marine delineation for the outer limit of continental shelf and the boundary delimitation have provoked considerable attention among researchers in a variety of academic circles, particularly in the juristic filed and the geo-science field. In the present contribution, we start from an overview of submarine fans, as one of common types of sediment-deposit bodies in the ocean, and explore the related geological features which may be of relevance to the marine delimitation in accordance with the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. We carry out a comparative assessment of certain significant geological features of submarine fans, using the Bengal fan as an example, which is the biggest submarine fan in the world and represents an important factor in the maritime boundary dispute between the neighboring states currently. The relationship between the special geological bodies and the international principle in the 1982 United Nations Convention can be established by combining geological and juristic analyses. This preliminary observation on the effect of submarine bodies both on the marine entitlement and boundary delimitation indicates that it is important for the international society to appropriately deal with this problem so that the marine right of any state can be protected.

Use of predictive habitat modelling to assess the distribution and extent of the current protection of ‘listed’ deep‐sea habitats

AbstractAimTo demonstrate the application of predictive species distribution modelling methods to habitat mapping and assessment of percentage area‐based conservation targets.LocationTheNE Atlantic deep sea (UKand Irish extended continental shelf limits).MethodsMaxEnt modelling of three listed habitats (Lophelia pertusa(Linnaeus, 1758) reef (LpReef),Pheronema carpenteri(WyvilleThomson, 1869) aggregations (PcAggs) andSyringammina fragilissima(Brady, 1883) aggregations (SfAggs)), with some pre‐selection of variables by generalized additive modelling. Models are validated using repeated 70/30 build/test data splits usingAUCand threshold‐dependent assessment methods. Predicted distribution maps are used to assess the adequacy of existing area closures for the protection of listed habitats and to assess percentage representation of each community within existingMPAnetworks.ResultsModel performances are rated as fair (LpReef), excellent (PcAggs) and good (SfAggs). Current closures are focused on the protection of cold‐water coral reef and incidentally capture someSfAggs suitable environments, but largely fail to protectPcAggs. Considering the wider network ofMPAs in the study region, approximately 23% (LpReef), 2% (PcAggs) and 6% (SfAggs) of the area predicted as suitable for each habitat respectively is contained within anMPA.Main conclusionsTo date, decisions on area closures for the protection of ‘listed’ deep‐sea habitats have been based on maps of recorded presence of species that are taken as being indicative of that habitat. Predictive habitat modelling may provide a useful method of better estimating the extent of listed habitats, providing direction for futureMPAestablishment and a means of assessingMPAnetwork effectiveness against politically set percentage targets. Given the coarse resolution of the model, percentages should be taken as maximal figures, with habitat occurrence likely to be less prevalent in reality.

Australian developments in marine science

Australia is an island nation with about two thirds of its jurisdiction underwater. On 25 May 2012, Australia instituted the Seas and Submerged Lands (Limits of Continental Shelf) Proclamation 2012, confirming areas of seabed where Australia has exclusive rights to explore and exploit marine resources. This proclamation follows recommendations by the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf, a body established under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, confirming Australia's entitlement to extended continental shelf, i.e., that beyond 200 nautical miles from the coastline, of some 2.56 million square kilometers, excluding Australian Antarctic Territory [Symonds et al., 2009] (Figure 1a).

The Terms of Reference of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf: A Creeping Legal Mandate

AbstractThe Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf is neither fish nor fowl. Its primary purpose is to consider coastal states’ proposed limits of the outer continental shelf and to make recommendations thereto. Albeit the establishment of the outer limits is an act within the sole discretion of a state, the role of the Commission in the establishment of such limits is of pivotal importance. Due to its mandate, it can reasonably be argued that the Commission is, by way of implication, deemed to be vested with rights that cannot be seen to be limited to a technical review stricto sensu. This paper seeks to determine the exact terms of reference of the Commission and to what extent it comprises powers to undertake legal interpretations of the Convention. It will be concluded that a fair balance governs the operations of the Commission, although they, at times, comprise tasks that are essentially of a legal nature.

China's U-Shaped Line in the South China Sea Revisited

Despite its existence on the Chinese maps for more than six decades, the U-shaped line, as a traditional maritime boundary line of China in the South China Sea, has never received a wide recognition in the world community, much less by the other claimant states in the South China Sea. The U-shaped line is a legal conundrum not only for China but also for the world community, particularly after the map with the U-shaped line, together with China's Notes Verbale with respect to the claims to the outer continental shelves made by Malaysia and Vietnam, were submitted to the UN Commission on the Limits of Continental Shelf in May 2009. This article discusses China's recent practice relating to the U-shaped line as well as the external factors that affect the validity of the line and tries to unravel the legal puzzle posed by the line.

Australia’s outer continental shelf regime

In 2008 the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf issued recommendations predominantly consistent with Australia’s submission regarding its outer continental shelf limits. Subsequently, in May 2012, Australia issued a proclamation on the limits of its continental shelf which includes nine distinct areas which collectively cover 2.56 million km2. A substantial part of Australia’s outer continental shelf is located in the Southern Ocean, extending south from Heard Island, Macquarie Island and Tasmania, but does not currently include the outer continental shelf offshore from the Australian Antarctic Territory. This article describes key features of Australia’s submission before addressing management issues, exploration and exploitation of hydrocarbons, and the potential for the exploitation of other marine resources. It will also consider the particular challenges associated with the outer continental shelf in the Southern Ocean, parts of which extend into the Antarctic Treaty Area and thus are covered by the Antarctic Treaty System.

A kontinentális talapzat határaival kapcsolatos aktuális kihívások az Északi-sarkvidék példáján

A parti államokat megillető kontinentális talapzat, mint tengerjogi kategória, lassan százéves múltra tekint vissza, ennek ellenére jogi helyzetének meghatározása még napjainkban is kihívás. Elég csak arra gondolni, hogy milyen fejtörést okoz a szom­szédos vagy szemben lévő államok között a pontos, mindenkinek megfelelő határok kijelölése – nemcsak az államoknak, hanem még a Nemzetközi Bíróságnak is. A tanulmány azonban nem a szomszédok közötti határmegvonás kérdéseivel kíván foglalkozni, hanem egy 2001-ben kirajzolódó problémakört kíván elemezni, amely a kontinentális talapzatok külső, 200 tengeri mérföldön túli határaival kapcsolatban merült föl. Az 1982-es tengerjogi egyezmény (UNCLOS) ugyanis úgy rendelkezik, hogy a parti állam 200 tengeri mérföl­des távolságig egyoldalúan vonhatja meg kontinentális talapzatának külső határát. A Kontinentális Talapzat Bizottság (CLCS) ajánlása nyomán, a földrajzi összefüggés címén, még ezen túlmenően is ki­terjeszthető az állami szuverenitás. Ennek gyakorlata azonban olyan fordulatokat hozott, amelyekre sem az egyezménynek, sem a CLCS eljárási szabályzatának a kidolgozásakor nem készültek fel. Ezt kívánja a tanulmány megvilágítani az Északi-sarkvidék példáján keresztül, ezen a területen ugyanis megmutatkozik mindazon problémák halmaza, amelyek a külső határok megvonásával kapcsolatban felmerül­nek, és amelyek a közeljövőben megoldásra várnak.

The Outer Continental Shelf of Coastal States and the Common Heritage of Mankind

The establishment of the outer limits of the continental shelf not only involves the rights and interests of coastal states, but also the interests of the international community as a whole. This article examines this balance between coastal states’ assertions of their outer continental shelf limits and the common heritage of mankind.

Chinese Practice in Public International Law: 2008

This Survey covers materials reflecting Chinese practice in 2008 relating to: I. Fundamental Principles of International Law (Five Principles of Peaceful Coexistence; Respect of State Sovereignty and Territorial Integrity; NonIntervention of Internal Affairs; Peaceful Settlement of International Disputes); II. International Peace and Security (Fight against Terrorism; Women, Peace and Security; The Zimbabwe Situation; The Darfur Situation in Sudan; The Kosovo Issue); III. International Law on Disarmament and Arms Control (Nuclear Disarmament and Non-Proliferation; Chemical Weapons; Biological Weapons); IV. International Law on Recognition (Kosovo; South Ossetia and Abkhazia); V. China’s Territorial Integrity and Boundaries (Taiwan; Tibet; Xisha Islands and Nansha Islands; Diaoyu Islands; China‐Russia Boundary; China‐India Boundary); VI. International Law of the Sea (Delimitation of the East China Sea; Delimitation of the Outer Limits of Continental Shelf Beyond 200 NMs; Straits Use for International Navigation; Conservation and Sustainable Use of Marine Biological Diversity beyond Areas of National Jurisdiction; International Seabed Authority; International Tribunal of the Law of the Sea (ITLOS); China’s Convoy Fleet in Somalia Coast); VII. International Law on Outer Space (Peaceful Use of Outer Space; Anti-Satellite Weapons); VIII. International Law on the Treatment of Aliens (Frontier Health and Quarantine; North Korean Asylum-seekers in China); IX. International Law on Human Rights (Rule of Law; Death Penalty; Rights of the Child; Women’s Rights; Torture; Rights of the Persons with Disabilities; Dialogue on Human Rights; Human Rights Council; Implementation of Human Rights Instruments); X. International Humanitarian Law (Children in Armed Conflict; Landmines; Explosive Remnants of War; Cluster Munitions; Tear Gas; Right of Individual Claims for Violations of International Humanitarian Law; Search of US soldiers remains in China and North Korea); XI. International

Review on some aspects of legal and scientific understandings regarding outer continental shelf limits in the Arctic Ocean

Among the most controversial criteria in the delimitation of outer continental shelf are ridge provisions in article 76 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. In 2001, Russia claimed its sovereign rights to the continental shelf in central Arctic Ocean. Focusing on this Russian submission to the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS), this article aims to widely address the historical, legal and scientific aspects of the continental shelf that are necessary to be reviewed by coastal States seeking to claim the extended continental shelf beyond their 200 nautical miles (M) territory. Ridge provisions with the natural prolongation standard can be invoked as a useful tool in order to remove the 350 M constraints for outer limits of the continental margin. Three features should be carefully considered to classify ridges correctly: geological continuity, crustal neutrality and envelop of the foot of the continental slope. Geomorphological data ought to be carefully considered together with geological and geophysical data to prepare the submission to the CLCS. The CLCS has a full responsibility to interpret the provisions and apply the legal and scientific criteria in reviewing the submission by coastal States. Given the high possibility of getting easily rejected due to the heavy workload of the CLCS, a coastal State should expend considerable amounts of time and efforts in claiming its outer limit of continental shelf based on a ridge and natural prolongation.

Determination of the Outer Continental Shelf Limits and the Role of the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf

AbstractThe 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (LOSC) came into force in 1994. Under its provisions coastal states have the right to delineate the outer limits of the juridical continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles. This article outlines how to provide evidence and obtain the official recommendation by the Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf. Examples of difficulties that may occur under particular circumstances due to complex terminology of the related LOSC provisions are described. Possible implications for the Arctic Ocean are presented.

An Overview of the Bathymetry and Geomorphology of the Tanzania EEZ

Bathymetry is one of the basic data for many studies in coastal and marine environments. It influences many of the coastal and oceanographic processes, and can explain the origin of some of the seafloor features. Knowledge of the bathymetry is important for navigation, planning of research, delineation of maritime boundaries and delineation of spe- cific submarine ecosystems such as canyons. Despite its importance very little has done to map the Tanzania Economic Exclusive Zone (EEZ), as is evidenced by the scarcity of locally collected bathymetric data. The lack of basic ocean capa- bility is a major challenge that Tanzania must overcome, to make effective planning and utilization of the coastal and ma- rine resources. It will also enable Tanzania to access other opportunities such as extension of its continental shelf limits. Based on the global database used in this study three distinct features i.e., an isolated seamount located at 5.1˚S/41.7˚E, a ridge located at south near 41.5˚E, and a depression located at 41.0˚E/9.5˚S, were identified on the Tanzanian EEZ sea- floor. Also, the potential for Tanzania to pose a claim for extending its continental shelf is discussed.

Establishing Rights over the Arctic Ocean

Establishing Rights over the Arctic Ocean