Law on the Somali Territorial Sea and Ports, 1972 (Articles 1 to 5)

Law on the Somali Territorial Sea and Ports, 1972 Article 1. - The Territorial Sea. - (1) The Somali Territorial Sea includes the portion of the Sea to the extent of 200 nautical miles within the continental and insular coasts, delimited according to the provisions of Articles 2 and 3 of this Law. (2) The Somali Territorial Sea is under the sovereignty of the Somali Democratic Republic. Offences committed within these limits of the Territorial Sea, on board a vessel, relating to penal health and public security, shall be governed by Somali Law. Article 2. - Measurement of the Territorial Sea. - (1) The normal baseline for measuring the breadth of the Territorial Sea is the low water line along the coast. (2) a frings straight baseline In localities where the coastline is deeply indented or if there is of islands along the coast in its immediate vicinity, the method of· baseline joining appropriate points may be employed in drawing the from which the breadth of the Territorial Sea is measured. (3) Waters on the landward side of the baseline of the Territorial Seas from part of the internal waters of the State within the meaning of Article 4 below. Article 3. - Territorial Sea for islands and archipelagos. - (1) Where an island is situated within the 200 mile limit the belt of waters round it will constitute territorial waters. This belt will be 200 miles wide and will be measu~ed from low-water mark following the sinuasities of the island. (2) A group of islands forming part of an archipelago shall be considered as a unit and its territorial waters shall be measured from the centre of the archipelago. Article 4. - Internal Waters and Maritime Ports. - (1) The internal maritime waters include all navigable waters in Somali rivers open for maritime vessels and maritime ports with the areas as delimited by the table annexed herewith. (2) The internal Somali waters are subject to the sovereignty of the Republic according to Somali Laws and the provision of this Law. Law on the Somali Territorial Sea and Ports, 1972 Article 5. - Fishing and Coastal Navigation. - (1) Fishing in the Territorial Sea and regular transportation of persons and goods between Somali Ports and reserved for vessels flying the Somali Flag, and other authorized vessels. (2) Any infringement of the above provision shall be punished with a fine from 5.000/. to 100.000/. So. Shs. and in case of repetition of the infringement by the vessel or the operator, the punishment may be doubled and the captain shall be liable for offences prescribed by the Somali Penal Laws and the vessel may be confiscated. (3) Any contract of transportation made in violation of paragraph 1 above is void and without effect and the vessel executing or intending to execute the contract shall be subject to a fine equal to 5 times the freight or the fare stipulated or fixed by the usage for similar operations.