This book deals with Canada's oceans management policies since the conclusion of the 1982 Convention of the Law of the Sea. That Convention set out a jurisdictional framework for the management of the world's oceans, but it did not provide states with precise guidance on all the issues that can arise. As a state with one of the world's longest coastlines, Canada was one of the principal beneficiaries under the 1982 Convention regime. A study of Canadian policy is particularly significant, as Canadian oceans management places in relief many of the difficult questions yet to be resolved. The central theme of this book, whose multidisciplinary contributors include leading Canadian participants in the Third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea, as well as leading Canadian academic and government oceans specialists, concerns the adequacy of the Canadian management responses to a new oceans regime which grants substantial jurisdiction to the coastal state. The chapters look at dispute settlement (maritime boundaries) and examine future Canadian and international policy directions. They are both analytical and prophetic, providing an assessment of the past and presenting a glimpse of the future. Canadian Oceans Policy provides insights into how Canada is managing the oceans and ocean resources off its coast and looks at the problems that lie ahead. The book also makes a major contribution to our understanding of an increasingly vital area of global politics. It will be of interest both to academics and policymakers and to all those concerned with the future of the oceans.

America is a nation intrinsically connected to and immensely reliant on the ocean. All citizens—whether they reside in the country's farmlands or mountains, in its cities or along the coast—affect and are affected by the sea. Our grocery stores and restaurants are stocked with seafood and our docks are bustling with seaborne cargo. Millions of visitors annually flock to the nation's shores, creating jobs and contributing substantially to the U.S. economy through one of the country's largest and most rapidly growing economic sectors: tourism and recreation. The offshore ocean area under U.S. jurisdiction is larger than its total land mass, providing a vast expanse for commerce, trade, energy and mineral resources, and a buffer for security. Born of the sea are clouds that bring life-sustaining water to our fields and aquifers, and drifting microscopic plants that generate much of the oxygen we breathe. Energy from beneath the seabed helps fuel our economy and sustain our high quality of life. The oceans host great biological diversity with vast medical potential and are a frontier for exciting exploration and effective education. The importance of our oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes cannot be overstated; they are critical to the very existence and wellbeing of the nation and its people. Yet, as the 21st century dawns, it is clear that these invaluable and life-sustaining assets are vulnerable to the activities of humans. Human ingenuity and ever-improving technologies have enabled us to exploit—and significantly alter—the ocean's bounty to meet society's escalating needs. Pollution runs off the land, degrading coastal waters and harming marine life. Many fish populations are declining and some of our ocean's most majestic creatures have nearly disappeared. Along our coasts, habitats that are essential to fish and wildlife and provide valuable services to humanity continue to suffer significant losses. Non-native species are being introduced, both intentionally and accidentally, into distant areas, often resulting in significant economic costs, risks to human health, and ecological consequences that we are only beginning to comprehend. Yet all is not lost. This is a moment of unprecedented opportunity. Today, as never before, we recognize the links among the land, air, oceans, and human activities. We have access to advanced technology and timely information on a wide variety of scales. We recognize the detrimental impacts wrought by human influences. The time has come for us to alter our course and set sail for a new vision for America, one in which the oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes are healthy and productive, and our use of their resources is both profitable and sustainable. It has been thirty-five years since this nation's management of the oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes was comprehensively reviewed. In that time, significant changes have occurred in how we use marine assets and in our understanding of the consequences of our actions. This report from the U.S. Commission on Ocean Policy provides a blueprint for change in the 21st century, with recommendations for creation of an effective national ocean policy that ensures sustainable use and protection of our oceans, coasts, and Great Lakes for today and far into the future.

Accompanying DVD contains 2 segments: the first shows the developmental process into making the report, the second shows a summary of the findings and recommendations of the report.

During the past century, scientists, world statesmen, and international entrepreneurs have become increasingly aware of the potential of the oceans as a source of minerals. This book provides an authoritative picture of the current state of marine mineral extraction. A major work of reference, it will be essential reading for both those engaged in maritime studies and for professional organisations involved in the extraction of underwater minerals.