The Law of the Sea: An Historical Analysis of the 1982 Treaty and Its Rejection by the United States

The 1982 Law of the Sea Convention, the result of 14 years of negotiation, was accepted by 159 nations. It was, however, rejected by the Reagan administration, a position quite at odds with the widespread international support the treaty enjoyed from other nations.

First discussed is the customary law of the sea and efforts to negotiate a stable, legal regime, focusing on seaward expansion of coastal-state jurisdiction. The book also looks at United Nations efforts to regulate the exploitat...