Territorial Sea Act, 1969 (Cap. 1:51)

LAWS OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO TERRITORIAL SEA ACT CHAPTER 1:51 Act 38 or 1969 Current Auf!1orised Pages Pag~s Authoristd (inchuiv~) by L.R.O. 1-5, J/1980 143 L.R.O. 111980 LAWS OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO Territorial Sea CHAPTER 1:51 TERRITORIAL SEA ACT ARRANGEMENT OF SECTIONS SECTION 1. Short title. 2. Interpretation. 3. Territorial sea. 4. Internal waters. 5. Baseline of territorial sea. Chap. 1:51 6. Bed of territorial sea and internal waters vested in the State. 7. Official charts. 8. Permanent harbour works. 9. Act binds the State. 3 An Act to make provision with respect to the Territorial Sea of 38 or 1969. Trinidad and Tobago. · [31ST DECEMBER 1969] 1. This Act may be cited as the Territorial Sea Act. 2. In this Act " Island" means a naturally formed area of land which is sur­ rounded by and above water at mean high-water spring tides; "low-water line" has the meaning assigned to it by section 7; "low-tide elevation" means a naturally formed area of land which is surrounded by, and above water at mean low-water spring tides but is submerged at mean high-water spring tides; "nautical mile" means the international nautical mile. Commence• m~n,. 1/1970. Shon title. Interpretation. 3. The territorial sea of Trinidad and Tobago comprises those Territorial sea. ~reas of the sea having as their inner limits the base-lines defined in section 5 and as their outer limits, a line measured seaward fr?m that baseline, every point of which is distant twelve nautical miles from the nearest point of the baseline so, however, that L.R.O. /11980 145 4 lntemal waten. Bas,eline of territorial se:1. Bed of lenitorial sea and internal watcn vcslcd in the Slate. Ofliaal charts. Chap. 1:51 LAWS OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO Territorial Sea where the outer limits of. the territorial sea of Trinidad and Tobago intersect foreign territorial waters the outer limits thereof shall be resolved through agreements or other means recognised by international law. 4. The internal waters of Trinidad and Tobago shall include any areas of the sea that are on the landward side of the baseline of the territorial sea of Trinidad and Tobago. 5. (1) The baselines from which the territorial sea shall be measured shall be ( a) the low-water line along the coasts of the island of Trinidad and of the island of Tobago as well as the coasts of all other islands that form part of Trinidad and Tobago; and (b) the straight baselines drawn from points shown on a large scale Government Map of Trinidad and Tobago in localities where the coast line is deeply indented and cut into or if there is a fringe of islands in its immediate vicinity. (2) For the purposes of subsection (l)(a), a low-tide eleva­ tion that lies wholly or partly within the breadth of the sea which would be territorial sea if all low-tide elevations were disregarded for the purpose of the measurement of the breadth thereof, shall be treated as an island. 6. The seabed or submarine areas bounded on the landward side by the baselines referred to in section 5 and on the seaward side by the outer limits of the territorial sea shall be deemed to be and always to have been vested in the State. 7. ( 1) For the purposes of this Act, the low-water line in any specified area shall be the line of low-water at mean low-water spring tides as depicted on the largest scale Trinidad and Tobago Government nautical chart for the time being of that area or, where no such chart of that area exists, the largest scale British Admiralty chart for the time being of that area. (2) In any proceedings in any court a certificate purporting to be signed by the Minister of Home Affairs or a person author­ ised by him that 146 LAWS OF TRINIDAD AND TOBAGO Territorial Sea Chap. 1:51 (a) any specified Trinidad and Tobago Government nautical chart of any area is the largest scale Trinidad and Tobago Government nautical chart for the time being of that area; or (b) no Trinidad and Tobago Government nautical chart for any ar:ea exists and that any specified British Admiralty chart of that area is the largest scale Brit­ ish Admiralty chart for the time being of that area, shall be admissible as evidence of the matter stated in the certificate. (3) Every person signing any such certificate shall, in the absence of proof to the contrary, be presumed to be duly author­ ised to sign it. 8. For the purposes of this Act, permanent harbour works which form an integral part of a harbour system shall be treated as forming-part of the coast. · 9. This Act binds the State. 147 5 Pcrmancnl harbour works. Act binds lhc S1a1c. L.R.O. J/1980