High seas are the areas of the oceans that lie outside the authority of any nation. They generally begin 200 nautical miles from the coasts of nations that border the oceans. A nautical mile is equal to about 1.2 statute miles and 1.9 kilometers. The high seas are also called international waters. Areas of the oceans over which nations exercise control include a nation’s territorial waters (see Territorial waters ).
All nations are expected to follow international rules regarding the high seas. Under international law, the high seas are open to every nation for fishing, travel, and research. All nations have equal rights on the high seas and must respect one another’s rights.
During wartime, international law allows neutral nations to continue trading with other neutral nations and with nations at war. In such times, however, the ships of neutral nations are not supposed to carry contraband of war (illegal goods). The nations at war decide what materials they consider contraband of war.
Nations have long argued over the law of the sea. Between 1968 and 1982, the United Nations (UN) worked to establish a set of sea laws that would satisfy all nations. The UN’s work led to the signing of the Law of the Sea Convention in 1982. This treaty was signed by more than 100 UN members. Under the treaty’s terms, however, the agreement would go into effect only after 60 nations had ratified it. As a result, the agreement did not take effect until 1994. However, the United States did not ratify the treaty.
In general, the Law of the Sea Convention gives countries exclusive rights to drill for oil and gas up to 200 nautical miles (370 kilometers) from shore–and in certain cases even farther from shore—and to fish within the 200-nautical-mile limit. Within these 200 nautical miles, called the exclusive economic zone, the treaty gives all nations high seas rights of navigation and flight. However, it allows the coastal nations to control all the economic resources in this zone. Most nations agree that mining is not a part of the freedom of the sea and can proceed only under the treaty’s terms.
