An Act to make provision with respect to the maritime zones of Canada and enforcement of Canadian laws and international rules in those zones. The Act consists of 109 sections divided into 3 Parts: Canada's Maritime Zones (I); Oceans Management Strategy (II); Powers, Duties and Functions of the Minister (III). The territorial sea has as its inner limits the baselines described in section 5 and as outer limits a line every point which is at a distance of twelve nautical miles of the baselines or, for portions, a line for which geographical coordinates are described. The baselines are the low-water line or a low-tide elevation. Section 9 provides for the application of provincial law to marine areas. Section 10 makes provision for the contiguous zone, whereas section 11 delimits the EEZ of Canada. Fishing zones of Canada consist of areas of the sea adjacent to the coast of Canada that are prescribed in regulations (sect. 16). The Minister of Fisheries and Oceans, in consultation with other parties involved, shall prepare a national strategy for the management of estuarine, coastal and marine ecosystems in waters that form part of Canada or in which Canada has sovereign rights under international law (sect. 29). Principles of Strategy are set out in section 30. Section 35 provides for marine protected areas. They serve the purpose of conservation ad protection of commercial and non-commercial fish resources, including marine mammals and their habitats, to protect endangered or threatened marine species, marine biodiversity, etc.
Canada · 1996-12-18