Abstract
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The United Nations Convention on the Law of
the Sea, which was opened for signature in December
1982, provided for a range of rights and obligations for
coastal States in the waters around their territory.
Among other things was confirmation that coastal
States had sovereign rights over the exclusive
economic zone (EEZ), with rights of boarding and
inspection of vessels exploiting the marine
environment. The plethora of rights confirmed in the
1982 Law of the Sea Convention offer an opportunity
to States with implementation within national
legislation. Surprisingly, not all States take advantage
of the opportunity these rights present. This paper
considers what rights a coastal State may implement
within its legislation that may assist in improving
maritime domain awareness and law enforcement at
sea.