This need becomes increased many fold in the light of possible extended 
jurisdiction. Likewise, NACOA suggests the need to reexamine existing 
bilateral, small multilateral, or regional arrangements so that they can be 
meshed smoothly with any extended jurisdictional arrangement arrived at 
during the Conference. 
Territorial Seas 
It is probable that an agreed-upon limit to the territorial seas of the 
nations of the world will be selected, and it is almost as probable that the 
limit will be 12 nautical miles. The attainment of this agreement is 
dependent upon the degree to which certain conditions attached by some 
nations are satisfied. For example, the United States conditions its accept- 
ance of a 12-mile limit on the accommodation of its need for unimpeded 
transit through those international straits which may be closed by this 
territorial extension. At the present time, only a handful of nations have 
voiced opinions on this issue, and it is not likely to become a serious point 
of contention, although bargaining may make it so. NACOA reiterates its 
strong support of the U.S. position on fredom of transit. 
‘It should be noted that extending the limits of the territorial sea to 
12 nautical miles raises the question of the allocation of rights and revenues 
between the States and the Federal Government in the zone between 3 
and 12 miles—particularly with regard to oil and gas. The Committee split 
on which way this allocation should lean. It was unanimous, however, in 
recognizing the importance of settling the issue, and in recognizing that it 
can only be settled by the political process. NACOA therefore recommends 
it to the urgent attention of the Congress. 
The Quality of the Marine Environment 
The basic disagreements in this area, at this stage of the negotiations, 
arise from disputes over who is entitled to prescribe regulations for pollu- 
tion control and who may enforce them. On the one hand, the United 
States is advocating exclusively international regulations with flag-nation 
and port-nation enforcement mechanisms, while others are striving to 
attain a degree of residual coastal nation competence to regulate and 
enforce. A loss on this position is seen by some as causing potential difh- 
culties arising out of lack of worldwide uniformity in standards for marine 
pollution from vessels, along with potentially disruptive enforcement prac- 
tices by coastal nations. NACOA endorses the U.S. position on com- 
petency to prescribe regulations. Further, NACOA recognizes that tradi- 
tional flag nation enforcement will and should be an element in any new 
treaty, but that some recognition of residual coastal nation enforcement 
powers will, in all probability, have to be accommodated. 
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