How far do you have to be offshore to be in international waters?

The Exclusive Economic Zone (12 to 200 Nautical Miles)

In 1983, President Reagan proclaimed the U.S. EEZ, which currently occupies the area between 12 miles (the seaward limit of the territorial sea) and 200 miles offshore for international purposes.

How far off the coast is considered international waters?

International Waters: Once a vessel is in waters that are more than 24 miles off the coast of a country, they are considered to be on the high seas and in international waters.

How far do you have to go out to be in international waters?

Generally speaking, the law of the sea stipulates that maritime countries essentially control their territorial waters from the shore out to a distance of 12 miles (19.3 km), the “12-mile limit.” Within this zone, all laws of that country apply: the country can build, extract natural resources, and either encourage or ...

What counts as international waters?

The Arctic Ocean: While Canada, Denmark, Russia and Norway all regard parts of the Arctic seas as national waters or internal waters, most European Union countries and the United States officially regard the whole region as international waters.

What is the 200 nautical mile limit?

An “exclusive economic zone,” or “EEZ” is an area of the ocean, generally extending 200 nautical miles (230 miles) beyond a nation's territorial sea, within which a coastal nation has jurisdiction over both living and nonliving resources.

How Do Countries' Sea Borders Work?

Why is international waters 12 miles?

That was linked to the distance of a cannon shot fired from shore. This was considered to be about 3 nautical miles (5.6 kilometers). With the negotiation of the 1982 United Nations Law of the Sea Convention, the allowed breadth of a territorial sea claim was extended to 12 nautical miles (22 kilometers).

Is crime legal in international waters?

So, no one can get away with crimes committed on the high seas, nor can you hide out on any rock or island on international waters, if you're an American fugitive. If you have any legal questions on maritime law, feel free to chat online with a maritime law attorney.

Can the US Coast Guard board you in international waters?

The Coast Guard may board any vessel subject to the jurisdiction of the United States, whether on the high seas, or on waters over which the United States has jurisdiction, to make inquiries, examinations, inspections, searches, seizures, and arrests for the prevention, detection, and suppression of violations of U.S. ...

Can you drill for oil in international waters?

In this territory, a country has full rights to all resources below the ocean's surface-think fishing, oil drilling, etc. Ships are allowed to pass through the EEZ, but cannot extract any natural resources from the sea. Outside of this, you get into international waters.

Can you carry a gun on a boat in international waters?

In international waters, defined as at least 24 miles away from any coast, the ship is bound by the laws of the country of registry and therefor the flag it is flying. In other words if you are on the open ocean, flying a US Flag, you can have any firearm on board that is legal under federal law.

Can you claim an island in international waters?

Islands In International Waters

If I'm correct, if a piece of land is unclaimed, or you build your own artificial island in international waters, you can claim it as your own - if its outside a countries borders, you can even found your own nation.

How far offshore do US laws apply?

In 1983, President Reagan proclaimed the U.S. EEZ, which currently occupies the area between 12 miles (the seaward limit of the territorial sea) and 200 miles offshore for international purposes.

Do US laws apply in international waters?

The laws of that country apply to any vessel, regardless of where it is registered while navigating on these waters. For instance, when a ship is docked in the Port of New York, all New York and U.S. laws apply to the vessel, its crew, and its passengers.

Can you be searched in international waters?

According to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea: “No state may validly purport to subject any part of the high seas to its sovereignty.”

Can a boat be stopped in international waters?

You can live on a yacht on international waters. There is nothing legally stopping you from doing so. However, you may still be subject to some laws and regulations.

Can you possess drugs in international waters?

Drug laws of the United States prohibiting the possession and distribution of drugs can be applied to any vessel operating with any nationality. A vessel without any nationality is subject to U.S. jurisdiction.

Can a ship be seized in international waters?

Treaty and customary law restrict seizures of foreign merchant ships to ships transiting a state's territorial waters, with an essentially blanket ban against seizures on the high seas. Critically, both the 1958 Convention and UNCLOS afford warships sovereign immunity on the high seas.

Does anyone own the ocean?

Oceans are International Zones

Although the oceans are technically viewed as international zones, meaning no one country has jurisdiction over it all, there are regulations in place to help keep the peace and to essentially divide responsibility for the world's oceans to various entities or countries around the world.

How far out is international waters in Florida?

Florida state waters are from shore to 3 nautical miles on the Atlantic and from shore to 9 nautical miles on the Gulf. In most places, federal waters extend from where state waters end out to about 200 nautical miles or to where other country's waters begin.

Are there laws on cruise ships?

Law on a cruise ship (or any other ship) starts with the flag the ship is flying under. A ship flies the flag of the country where it's registered, and, in general, the laws onboard a ship are the laws of that country.

What can you get away with in international waters?

How far out is international waters in the Gulf of Mexico?

The U.S. proclaimed a 12 nm territorial sea in 1988, a 24 nm contiguous zone in 1999, and a 200 nm EEZ in 1983, consistent with customary international law as codified in UNCLOS.

How far do U.S. waters extend?

The United States claims territorial waters that extend 12 nautical miles, or about 13.8 common miles, from shore. Until today, the contiguous zone, or the area in which the United States claims the right to enforce its laws, also extended 12 nautical miles from the coast.

What is the 12 mile territorial sea?

Territorial sea, as defined by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, is a belt of coastal waters extending at most 12 nautical miles (22 km; 14 mi) from the baseline (usually the mean low-water mark) of a coastal state.