Working Papers: Protecting the National Interest: Naval Constabulary Operations in Australia's Exclusive Economic Zone

Abstract

One of the fundamental responsibilities of a state is to protect its territorial sovereignty from threats and potential conflict. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1982, which entered into force in 1994, has had a major impact on notions of territorial sovereignty: the legal framework regarding exclusive economic zones, and the coastal state’s rights and responsibilities within that zone. As an island with extensive offshore territories, Australia has a large and disparate exclusive economic zone with significant economic resources. This paper analyses the role of the RAN in enforcing sovereign rights in these zones.

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