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APPENDIX A
PRESIDENTIAL EEZ PROCLAMATION
Exclusive Economic Zone of the United States of America
A Proclamation by the President of the United States of America
March 10, 1983
WHEREAS the Government of the United States of America desires to facilitate the wise
development and use of the oceans consistent with international law;
WHEREAS international law recognizes that, in a zone beyond its territory and adjacent to its
territorial sea, known as the Exclusive Economic Zone, a coastal State may assert certain sovereign
rights over natural resources and related jurisdiction; and
WHEREAS the establishment of an Exclusive Economic Zone by the United States will advance the
development of ocean resources and promote the protection of the marine environment, while not
affecting other lawful uses of the zone, including the freedoms of navigation and overflight, by other
States;
NOW, THEREFORE, I, RONALD REAGAN, by the authority vested in me as President by the
Constitution and laws of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim the sovereign rights and
jurisdiction of the United States of America and confirm also the rights and freedoms of all States
within an Exclusive Economic Zone as described herein.
The Exclusive Economic Zone of the United States is a zone contiguous to the territorial sea,
including zones contiguous to the territorial sea of the United States, the Commonwealth of Puerto
Rico, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands (to the extent consistent with the
Covenant and the United Nations Trusteeship Agreement), and United States overseas territories
and possessions. The Exclusive Economic Zone extends to a distance 200 nautical miles from the
baseline from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured. In cases where the maritime
boundary with a neighboring State remains to be determined, the boundary of the Exclusive
Economic Zone shall be determined by the United States and other States concerned in accordance
with equitable principles.
Within the Exclusive Economic Zone, the United States has, to the extent permitted by
international law, (a) sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring, exploiting, conserving and
managing natural resources, both living and non-living, of the seabed and subsoil and the
superjacent waters and with regard to other activities for the economic exploitation and exploration
of the zone, such as the production of energy from the water, currents and winds; and (b)
jurisdiction with regard to the establishment and use of artificial islands, and installations and
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structures having economic purposes, and the protection- and preservation of the marine
environment.
This Proclamation does not change existing United States policies concerning the continental shelf,
marine mammals and fisheries, including highly migratory species of tuna which are not subject to
United States jurisdiction and require international agreements for effective management.
The United States will exercise these sovereign rights and jurisdiction in accordance with the rules
of international law.
Without prejudice to the sovereign rights and jurisdiction of the United States, the Exclusive
Economic Zone remains an area beyond the territory and territorial sea of the United States in
which all States enjoy the high seas freedoms of navigation, overflight, the laying of submarine
cables and pipelines, and other internationally lawful uses of the sea.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this tenth day of March, in the year of our
Lord nineteen hundred and eighty-three, and of the Independence of the United States of America
the two hundred and seventh.
Statement by the President
March 10, 1983
The United States has long been a leader in developing customary and conventional law of the
sea. Our objectives have consistently been to provide a legal order that will among other things,
facilitate peaceful, international uses of the oceans and provide for equitable and effective
management and conservation of marine resources. The United States also recognizes that all
nations have an interest in these issues.
Last July I announced that the United States will-not sign the United Nations Law of the Sea
Convention that was opened for signature on December 10. We have taken this step because
several major problems in the Convention's deep seabed mining provisions are contrary to the
interests and principles of industrialized nations and would not help attain the aspirations of
developing countries.
The United States does not stand alone in those concerns. Some important allies and friends
have not signed the Convention. Even some signatory States have raised concerns about these
problems.
However, the Convention also contains provisions with respect to traditional uses of the oceans
which generally confirm existing maritime law and practice and fairly balance the interests of all
States.
Today I am announcing three decisions to promote and protect the oceans interests of the
United States in a manner consistent with those fair and balanced results in the Convention and
international law.
First, the United States is prepared to accept and act in accordance with the balance of interests
relating to traditional uses of the oceans-such as navigation and overflight. In this respect, the
United States will recognize the rights of other States in the waters off their coasts, as reflected in
the Convention, so long as the rights and freedoms of the United States and others under
international law are recognized by such coastal States.
Second, the United States will exercise and assert its navigation and overflight rights and
freedoms on a worldwide basis in a manner that is consistent with the balance of interests reflected
in the Convention. The United States waft not, however, acquiesce in unilateral acts of others
designed to restrict the rights and freedoms of the international community in navigation and
overflight and other related high seas uses.
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Third, I am proclaiming today an Exclusive Economic Zone in which the United States will
exercise sovereign rights in living and non-living resources within 200 nautical miles of its coast.
This will provide United States jurisdiction for mineral resources out to 200 nautical miles that are
not on the continental shelf. Recently discovered deposits there could be an important future
source of strategic minerals.
Within this Zone all nations will continue to enjoy the high seas rights and freedoms that are
not resource-related, including the freedoms of navigation and overflight. My Proclamation does not
change existing United States policies concerning the continental shelf, marine mammals and
fisheries, including highly migratory species of tuna which are not subject to United States
jurisdiction. The United States will continue efforts to achieve international agreements for the
effective management of these species. The Proclamation also reinforces this government's policy of
promoting the United States fishing industry.
While international law provides for a right of jurisdiction over marine scientific research within
such a zone, the Proclamation does not assert this right. I have elected not to do so because of the
United States interest in encouraging marine scientific research within 200 nautical miles of their
coasts, if that jurisdiction is exercised reasonably in a manner consistent with international law.
The Exclusive Economic Zone established today will also enable the United States to take
limited additional steps to protect the marine environment. In this connection, the United States
will continue to work through the International Maritime Organization and other appropriate
international organizations to develop uniform international measures for the protection of the
marine environment while imposing no unreasonable burdens on commercial shipping.
The policy decisions I am announcing today will not affect the application of existing United
States law concerning the high seas or existing authorities of any United States government agency.
In addition to the above policy steps, the United States will continue to work with other
countries to develop a regime, free of unnecessary political and economic restraints, for mining deep
seabed minerals beyond national jurisdiction. Deep seabed mining remains a lawful exercise of the
freedom of the high seas open to all nations. The United States will continue to allow its firms to
explore for and, when the market permits, exploit these resources.
The Administration looks forward to working with the Congress on legislation to implement
these new policies.
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Representative terms from entire chapter:
economic zone
