Benue State University, Makurdi

An Examination of the Features of the Regime of the Sea 1982 Thirty - Eight Years After: Time for Reform

Ishaya N. Martins*

Abstract

Sea is a large body of water that is surrounded by land. It is a crucial part of human trade and commerce, voyage, mineral extraction, power generation and is also considered as an essential source of blue economy nowadays. International law of the sea is a law of maritime space that defines various jurisdictions of the maritime zones as well as the rights and obligations of the coastal States in these zones, especially with regard to the conversation of marine environment and biodiversity. The law of the sea comprises the rule governing the use of the sea, including its resources and environment. The law of the sea is one of the principal subjects of international law and is a mixture of treaty and established or emerging customary law. The law of the sea covers rights, freedoms and obligations in areas such as shipping, territorial seas and waters and the high seas, fishing, wreaks and cultural heritage, protection of the marine environment and dispute settlement. The objective of this article is to demonstrate a brief overview of the international law of the sea with a special emphasize on the Law of the sea and its legal framework. This study also strives to focus the civil and criminal liability, jurisdictions, rights and obligations of the coastal states with regard to the different maritime zones. Furthermore, the study delineates the rule and extent of using these maritime zones in the light of various treaty provisions on the international law of the sea where different adjudicated cases are also presented along with a profound scrutiny upon their facts, issues, judgment and reasoning.

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