MEXICAN raSHERY LEGISUTION 



APPENDIX XrVII 

 PRESIDENTIAL DECURATIOH CLAIMING CONTINENTAL SHELF 

 Declaration made October 29, 19^5, published in local newspapers on October 30, 19^5. 



The experience of recent years has evidenced the growing necessity of countries to 

 preserve those natural resources which in the past, for various reasons, have been outside 

 of their control and integral utilization. 



As is knotvn, the lands constituting the continental masses in general do not rise 

 perpendicularly from the great ocean depths but rest on a submarine shelf known as the 

 continental shelf, ILmited by the isobath, i.e., the line uniting points of equal depth 

 (200 meters), from the edges of which the slope descends sharply or gradually to the ocean 

 floor. Ihis shelf, per se, ccastitutes an integral part of the continental countries and 

 it is neither reasonable, prudent, nor possible that Mexico ignore jurisdiction and utili- 

 zation and control over it in the part pertaining to its territory in the two oceans. 



It is now known as a result of various scientific investigations that natural resources, 

 minerals, liquids and gases, phosphate, calcium, hydro- carbons, etc., of incalculable value 

 exist in that continental, shelf and their legal incorporation into the national patrimony is 

 vital and cannot be deferred. 



On the other hand, it is of equal urgency that the Mexican State, viiich nature has en- 

 dowed with fishery resources of extraordinary richness, such as those found, not to mention 

 others, in the maritime zones along Lower California, should be protected, utilized and 

 developed adequately, and this urgency increases at the present time, when the world, im- 

 poverished and in need because of the war imposed by totalitarianism, must develop its 

 food production to the maximum. 



In the years before the war the Western Hemisphere had to watch the permanent fishing 

 fleets of countries outside of the continent engage in immoderate and exhaustive exploitation 

 of this great wealth, which although certainly it should be helpful to the well-being of the 

 world, it is evident that it belongs primarily to the country possessing it and to the 

 continent to which it pertains. By reason of its inherent nature it is indispensable that 

 its protection be under the control and vigilance of the State as far as those places or 

 zones indicated by science for the development of the resources of the high seas and independ- 

 ently of the distance that separates them from the coast. 



Based upon these reasons, the Government of the Republic claims all of the platform or 

 continental shelf adjacent to its coasts and each and every one of the known and unknown 

 natural resources that may be found there, and (the Government of Mexico) is proceeding 

 towau-ds the vigilance, utilization and control of the necessary fishery protection zones for 

 the conservation of that source of well-being. 



The foregoing does not signify that the Mexican Government pretends not to recognize 

 the legitimate rights of third parties on a basis of reciprocity, or that the rights of 

 free navigation on the high seas may be affected, inasmuch as the only course that it is 

 pursuing is to conserve these resources for national, continental and world well-being. 



The government is issiiing orders to the proper authorities, in order that they may 

 proceed to formulate the corresponding legal processes and to celebrate the treaties that 

 may be necessary. 



Mexico, D.F., October 29, 1945. 



The President of the Republic, 

 MANUEL AVIU CAtlACHO. 



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