us. CONTINENTAL SHELF 



GULF COAST 



135.000 SQUARE MILES 



Figure 1. 



V. JURISDICTIONS 



Within the limits of the coastal zone are five 

 jurisdictional belts. Bays, estuaries, and other 

 semi-enclosed areas are classed as internal waters. 

 Over these, individual States have jurisdiction; in 

 some cases the States have transferred this jurisdic- 

 tion to counties or municipalities. Seaward of the 

 internal waters, and of the low-water line along 

 uninterrupted coasts, is the territorial sea, extend- 

 ing to three miles from shore. Here again, indi- 

 vidual States have ownership over the waters, the 

 seabed, and the subsoil.^ Between three and 

 twelve miles from the shore is the contiguous zone 

 in which the Federal Government may act to 

 prevent the infringement of certain laws, particu- 

 larly those relating to customs, immigration, and 

 sanitation. Within this zone, also, the United 

 States exercises exclusive fisheries rights; foreign 

 vessels are enjoined from fishing in this area unless 

 by special agreement. Except for these provisions, 

 the contiguous zone, together with the waters 

 which he seaward of it, has the status of the high 

 seas, accessible to all nations. 



The seabed and subsoil beyond territorial limits 

 are known as the "Outer Continental Shelf and 

 are under the jurisdiction of the Federal Govern- 

 ment. The shelf extends out to the 200-meter 



Both Texas and Florida, along their Gulf coasts, have 

 State boundaries extending out to nine nautical miles 

 from shore on the basis of "historic rights." The breadth 

 of the territorial sea off Louisiana is being reviewed in the 

 courts. 



CANADA 



U.S. CONTINENTAL SHELF 



PACIFIC COAST 



25,000 SQUARE MILES 



MEXICO 



Figure 2. 



isobath (657 feet), although nations may claim 

 jurisdiction beyond this limit if they are capable of 

 exploiting the resources of the seabed and subsoil. 

 To date, the U.S. Government has not officially 

 claimed control beyond the 200-meter Une. 



us COhfTINENTAL SHELF 



ALASKA 



550,000 SQUARE MILES 



Figure 3. 



III-9 



