658 THE SOVEREIGNTY OF THE SEA 



seawards from low-water mark," with the same arrangement 

 for bays as in the North Sea Convention. The distance stated 

 does not, however, necessarily represent the bounds of the 

 territorial sea, properly so called, the extent of which has never 

 been precisely defined by France. 1 No doubt France, like other 

 countries, reserves her right to a wider limit should occasion 

 arise to make that necessary. 



It appears that as early as 1832 the three-mile limit was 

 declared by Belgium to be the boundary of her territorial 

 waters, 2 and by a law promulgated in 1891, and based upon 

 the North Sea Convention, " all foreign boats " were prohibited 

 from fishing within three miles of the Belgian coast. 3 



In the Netherlands also, in connection with the North Sea 

 Convention, the boundary of exclusive fishing has been de- 

 clared to be at the distance of three miles from low-water 

 mark, and this applies to all foreign fishermen. No distinction 

 has been formally made between the fishery limit and the limit 

 of the territorial sea for political purposes. 4 



In Austria-Hungary, whose coast is confined to the eastern 

 shore of the Adriatic, the three-mile limit has been adopted, 

 subject to certain qualifications respecting the right of fishery 

 under treaties with Italy. The regulations concerning foreign 

 vessels of war authorise a shot to be fired from the nearest 

 battery at any such vessel which does not show its flag on 

 coming within range of the guns, and within the same distance 



1 M. de Chasseloup Lubat, in Ann. di Agricoltura, 50. 1891. 



2 Law of 7th June 1832. Heffter, Le Droit International de I' Europe, c. ii. s. 75. 



3 " Loi relative a la peche maritime dans les eaux territoriales," 19th August 

 1891. A decree of 5th September 1892 regulated foreign fishing-boats when 

 within territorial waters. 



4 Wet van 15 Juni 1883, Staatsblad, No. 73 ; Koninklijk Besluit van 20 March 

 1884. Staatsblad, No. 40, putting in force the North Sea Convention: "Art. 1. 

 De bepalingen dezer overeenkomst, welke ten doel heeft de politic der visscherij 

 in de Noordzee buiten de territoriale wateren te regelen, zijn toepasselijk op alien, 

 die tot de nationaliteit der Hooge contracteerende Partijen behooren. 2. De 

 visschers van elken Staat zullen het uitsluitend recht van visscherij genieten 

 binnen een kring van drie mijlen, gerekend van de laagwaterlijn, langs de geheele 

 uitgestrektheid der kusten van elken Staat en evenzeer langs de eilanden en banken, 

 die daarmede zijn verbonden," &c. Wet van 7th December 1883, Staatsblad, No. 

 202; Wet van 26th October 1889, Staatsblad, No. 135, "Tot vaststelling van 

 bepalingen tegen het visschen door opvarenden van vreemde vaartuigen in de terri- 

 toriale wateren van het Rijk" ; the limits, as laid down in the convention of 1882, 

 are applied to all foreign fishing vessels. There are special agreements with Bel- 

 gium as to the fishings in the Schelde. H. van der Hoeven, Wetgeving betreffende 

 de Zet- en de Zalmi-isscherijen. Leiden, 1897. 



