Currently Designated Irish Continental Shelf

Administrative units; Date and time

Maritime boundaries based on the UN Convention of the Law Of the Sea (UNCLOS) Agreement include the Currently DesignatedIrish Continental Shelf (CS), Irish Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Irish Territorial Sea, Irish Contiguous Zone, Irish Internal waters and Straight Baselines. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), also called the Law of the Sea Convention or the Law of the Sea treaty, is the international agreement that resulted from the third United Nations Conference on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS III), which took place between 1973 and 1982. The Law of the Sea Convention defines the rights and responsibilities of nations with respect to their use of the world's oceans, establishing guidelines for businesses, the environment, and the management of marine natural resources. The UNCLOS maritime boundaries around Ireland cover the North Atlantic Ocean, Irish Sea, Saint George's Channel and Celtic Sea. UNCLOS agreement came into force in 1994. Irish boundaries designated in the period after 1994 including Straight Baselines 2016 and Continental Shelf in 2002. UNCLOS boundaries defined based on standard international definitions such as an EEZ can include up to 200 nautical miles from designated baseline and CS can cover up to 370 nautical miles from baseline. The Territorial Sea cover 12 nautical miles from baseline and a Contiguous Zone is 12-24 nautical miles from baseline. A baseline, as defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, is the line along the coast from which the seaward limits of a state's territorial sea and certain other maritime zones of jurisdiction are measured, such as a state's exclusive economic zone. The Petroleum Affairs Division of the Department of Communications, Climate Action and the Environment manage data related to UNCLOS agreement. Data is incomplete as there are agreements to be made with the UK in the areas around Lough Foyle and Strangford Lough bordering Ireland and Northern Ireland.

Petroleum Affairs Division
Department of Communications, Climate Actions and Environment
29-31 Adelaide Road
Dublin 2
D02 X285
Ireland