UNITED STATES OCEANS POLICY

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85M00364R000400550036-2
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: December 13, 2007
• Sequence Number: 36
• Publication Date: March 10, 1983
• Content Type: REPORT

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FACT SHEET
.UNITE STATES OCEANS POLICY
Today the President announced new guidelines for U.S.
oceans policy and proclaimed an Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)
for the United States. This follows his consideration of a
senior interagency review of these matters.
The EEZ Procla ation confirms D.S. sovereign rights and
control over the. living and non-living natural resources of
the seabed, subsoil and superjacent waters beyond the territo-
rial sea but within 200 nautical miles of the United States
coasts. This will include, in particular, new rights over all
minerals (such as nodules and sulphide deposits) in the zone
that ape not on the continental shelf but are within 20D
nautical miles. Deposits of polymetallic sulphides-and co-
balt/manganese crusts .in these areas have only been recently
discovered and are years away from being commercially recover-
able. But they could be a major future source of strategic
and other minerals important to the U.S. economy and security.
The EEZ applies to waters adjacent, to the United States,
the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, the Commonwealth of the ,
Northern Mariana Islands (consistent with the Covenant and UN
Trusteeship Agreement) , and United States overseas territories
and possessions. The total area encompassed by the EEZ has
been estimated to exceed two million square nautical miles.
The President's statement makes clear that the proclama-
tion does not change existing policies with respect to the
outer continental shelf and fisheries within the U.S. zone.
Since President Truman proclaimed U. S. jurisdiction and
control over the adjacent continental shelf in 1945,?the U.S.
has asserted sovereign rights for the purpose of exploration-
and exploitation of the resources of the continental shelf.
Fundamental supplementary legislation, the Outer Continental
Shelf Lands Act, was passed by Congress in 1953. The Presi-
dent's proclamation today incorporates existing jurisdiction
over the continental shelf.
Since 1976 the United States has exercised management and
.conservation authority over fisheries resources (with the
exception of highly migratory species of tuna) within 20D
nautical miles.of the coasts, under the Magnuson Fishery
Conservation and Management Act. The U.S. neither. recognizes
nor asserts jurisdiction over highly migratory species of
tuna. Such species are best managed by international agree-
ments with concerned countries. In addition to confirming the
United States sovereign rights over mineral deposits beyond
the continental shelf but within 200 nautical miles, the
Proclamation bolsters U.S. authority over the living resources
of the zone.
The United States has also exercised certain other types
of jurisdiction beyond the territorial see in accordance with
international law. This includes, for example,jurisdiction
relating to pollution control under the Clean Water Act of
1977 and other laws.
The* President has decided not to assert jurisdiction over
marine scientific research in the U.S. EEZ. This is consistent
with the U.S. interest in promoting maxi-um freedom fcr such
research. The Department of State will take steps to facili-
tate access by U.S. scientists to foreign =---Z's under
reasonable conditions.
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The concept of .the EEZ is already recognized in interna~
tional law and the President's Proclamation is consistent with
existing international law. Over SO countries have proclaimed
some form of. EEZ; some of- these are consistent with interna-
tional law and others are 'not.
The concept' of an EEZ was developed further in the
recently concluded Law of the Sea negotiations and is reflect-
ed in that Convention. The EEZ is a maritime area in which
the coastal state may exercise certain limited powers as
recognized under international law. The EEZ is not the same
as the concept of the territorial sea, and.is beyond the
territorial jurisdiction of any coastal state.
The President's proclamation confirms that, without
prejudice to the rights and jurisdiction of the United S tat.es
in its .:ZZ, all nations will continue to enjoy non-resource
related freedoms of the high seas beyond the U. S.territorial
sea and within the U. S. EEZ. This means that the freedom of
navigation. and overflight and other internationally lawful
uses of the sea will remain the same within the zone as they
are beyond_ it.
The Prresident has also established _'clear guidelines for
United -States oceans policy by stating that the United States
is prepared to accept and act in accordance with international
law as reflected in the results of the Law of the Sea
Convention that relate to traditional uses of the oceans, sucb
as navigation and overflight. The United States is willing to
respect the maritime claims of others, including economic
zones, that are consistent with' international law as reflected
in the Convention, if U. S. rights and, freedoms in such areas
under international law are respected by the coastal state.
The President has not changed the breadth of the United
States territorial sea. ' It remains at 3 nautical-miles. The
United States will respect only those to"rritozial sea claims
of others in excess of 3 nautical miles, to a maximum of 12
nautical miles, which accord to the U.S. its full rights under
international law in the territorial sea.
Unimpeded commercial and military navigation and
overflight are critical to the national interest of the United
-states: The United States will continue to. tact to ensure the
retention of the necessary rights and freedoms.
By proclaiming - today a U.S. EEZ and announcing other
oceans policy guidelines, the President has demonstrated his
co-n-nitaen t to the protection and promotion of U.S. inariy-me
intdrests in a manner consistent with international law.
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