Cap.

7] MARITIME ZONES

CHAPTER 7
MARITIME ZONES
Law A LAW TO PROVIDE FOR THE DECLARATION OF THE T E R R I T O R I A L SEA AND OTHER
No. 22 of 1976. M A R I T I M E ZONES OF SRI LANKA, AND A L L OTHER MATTERS C O N N E C T E D
THEREWITH OR I N C I D E N T A L THERETO.
[1st September. 1976.]

Short Title. 1. This Law may be cited as the (2) No foreign aircraft shall enter or pass
Maritime Zones Law. through the air space above the territorial
sea, except in accordance with the written
Territorial sea. 2. (1) The President of the Republic of laws in force in Sri Lanka :
Sri Lanka may, by Proclamation published in Provided that no foreign military aircraft
the Gazette, declare the limits of the sea shall enter or pass through the air space
beyond the land territory and internal waters above the territorial sea except with the prior
of Sri Lanka which shall be the territorial sea consent of, and subject to such conditions as
of Sri Lanka, specifying in such Proclamation may be specified by, the Minister.
the base-lines from which such limits shall be
measured. The waters on the landward side of (3) A foreign ship or foreign aircraft
such base-lines shall form part of the internal which acts in contravention of the provisions
waters of Sri Lanka. of this section is liable to confiscation.
(4) The Minister may, by Order published
(2) Where an island or rock, or a group in the Gazette, suspend, in a specified area or
of islands and rocks, or a group of islands or areas of the territorial sea the right of
a group of rocks, constituting part of the innocent passage of any ship, if, in his
territory of Sri Lanka is situated seaward opinion, such suspension is necessary in order
from the main coast or base-line, the to safeguard the peace, good order or security
territorial sea shall extend to the limits of the Republic.
declared by the Proclamation under 4. (1) The President may, by Contiguous
subsection (1) measured from the Proclamation published in the Gazette, zone.
low-water mark of ordinary spring tides declare the limits of a zone contiguous to the
along the seaward edge of such island or territorial sea and extending seawards from
rock, or group of islands and rocks, or group the outer limits of the territorial sea which
of islands or group of rocks. shall be the contiguous zone of Sri Lanka.
(3) The sovereignty of the Republic (2) Where there is a reasonable
extends to the territorial sea and to the air apprehension of the contravention of any
space over the territorial sea as well as to its written laws of Sri Lanka in relation to-
bed and sub-soil. (a) the security of the Republic ;
(b) immigration, health and sanitation ; or
Use of 3. (1) Ships of all States shall enjoy the
territorial sea right of innocent passage through the (c) customs and other revenue matters,
by foreign ships
and aircraft. territorial sea. Passage is innocent only so the relevant Minister shall take such
long as such passage is not prejudicial to the measures as may be necessary in respect of
peace, good order or security of the the contiguous zone in order to secure the
Republic: enforcement of, or to prevent the
contravention of, such laws.
Provided that no foreign warship shall
enter or pass through the territorial sea 5. (1) The President may, by Exclusive
except with the prior consent of, and subject Proclamation published in the Gazette, economic zone.
to such conditions as may be specified by, the declare any zone ot the sea adjacent to the
Minister. territorial sea, as well as the sea-bed and

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sub-soil thereof, to be the exclusive economic (2) All the natural resources, both living
zone of Sri Lanka. The limits of such zone and non-living, on and under the sea-bed and
shall be specified in the Proclamation. in the sub-soil of the continental shelf shall
vest in the Republic.
(2) All the natural resources, both living
and non-living, within the exclusive economic (3) In respect of the continental shelf the
zone, on and under the sea-bed and in the Republic has-
sub-soil and on the water surface and within (a) sovereign rights for the purpose of
the water column shall vest in the Republic. exploration, exploitation,
conservation and management of
(3) In the exclusive economic zone the the natural resources, both living
Republic has - and non-living;
(a) sovereign rights for the purpose of
exploration, exploitation, (b) exclusive rights and jurisdiction to
conservation and management of authorize, regulate and control
the natural resources, both living scientific research;
and non-living, as well as for the (c) exclusive rights and jurisdiction for the
production of energy from tides, construction, m a i n t e n a n c e or
winds and currents, and for other operation of artificial islands,
economic uses; off-shore terminals, installations
(h) exclusive rights and jurisdiction to and other structures and devices
authorize, regulate and control necessary for the exploration and
scientific research; exploitation of the resources of the
continental shelf, for the
(c) exclusive rights and jurisdiction for the convenu,iii-c of shipping or for any
construction, m a i n t e n a n c e or other purpose; and
operation of artificial islands,
(d) other rights recogized by international
off-shore terminals, installations
law.
and other structures and devices
necessary for the exploration and 7. (1) The President may, by Pollution
exploitation of the resources of the Proclamation published in the Gazette, prevention
zone, for the convenience of zone.
declare any zone of the sea adjacent to the
shipping or for any other purpose ; territorial sea, and of the sea-bed and sub-soil
and thereof, to be the pollution prevention zone of
( d ) other rights recognized by Sri Lanka. The limits of such zone shall be
international law. specified in the Proclamation.
Continental 6. (1) the continental shelf of Sri Lanka (2) The relevant Minister, shall take such
shelf. shall comprise- steps as may be necessary to control and
(a) the sea-bed and sub-soil of the prevent the pollution of, and to preserve the
submarine areas that extend beyond ecological balance within, such zone.
the territorial sea of Sri Lanka Maritime
8. Notwithstanding the provisions of this
throughout the natural prolongation boundary
Law or any other written law- between Sri
of the land territory of Sri Lanka to
the outer edge of the continental (a) the boundary between Sri Lanka and Lanka and
India in the waters from Palk Strait India.
margin or to a distance of two
hundred nautical miles from the to Adam's Bridge shall be the arcs
base-line from which the territorial of Great Circles between the
following positions in the sequence
sea is measured where the outer
given hereunder defined by latitude
edge of the continental margin does
and longitude :
not extend up to that distance ; and
Position 1 : 10° 05'North, 80° 03'East
(b) the sea-bed and sub-soil of the Position 2 : 09° 57' North, 79°-35' East
analogous submarine areas adjacent Position 3 : 09" 40.15' North, 79° 22.60'
to the coast of any island or rock, or East
group of islands and rocks, or group Position 4 : 09° 21.80' North. 79° 30.70'
East
of islands or g r o u p of rocks, Position 5 : 09" 13'North, 79" 32 'East
constituting part of the territory of
Sri Lanka. Position 6: 09° W North. 79° 32 'Ea»l:

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(b) the boundary between Sri Lanka and 9. (1) The President may be Historic waters.
India in the. Gulf of Mannar shall Proclamation published in the Gazette,
be the arcs of Great Circles between declare the limits of the historic waters of Sri
the following positions in the Lanka.
sequence given hereunder defined (2) The Republic of Sri Lanka shall
by latitude and longitude : exercise sovereignty, exclusive jurisdiction
and control in and over the historic waters, as
Politico 1m: 09° 06.0' North, 79 32.0
East well as in and over the islands and the
Position 2m: 09" 00.0'North, 79* 31.3 continental shelf and the sea-bed and sub-soil
East thereof within such historic waters.
Position 3m: 08° 53.8'North, 79° 29.3'
East 10. As soon as may be convenient after Publication of
the coming into operation of this Law, and map.
Position 4m: 08" 40,0'North. 79° 18,2'
East thereafter whenever necessary, the Minister
Position 5m: 08" :?.2'North, 79» 13.0' may require the Surveyor-General to publish
East or cause to be published a map indicating the
Position 6m : 08° 31.2'North. 79° 04.7' low-water mark of ordinary spring tides, the
East base-lines for measurement of the territorial
Position 7m :08° 22.2' North, 78° 55.4' sea, and the outer limits of the territorial sea
East and other maritime zones and jurisdiction of
Position 8m : 08° 12.2' North, 78° 53.7' Sri Lanka declared in accordance with the
East provisions of this Law.
Position 9m : 07° 35.3'North, 78° 45.7'
East 11. Notwithstanding anything to the Amendment of
contrary in any other written law, every other written
Position 10m: 07° 21.0'North. 78° 38.8' laws.
East reference in any written law to the
Position l l m : 06° 30.8'North, 78° 12.2' expressions " territorial waters ". " territorial
East sea ", " coastal waters ", " contiguous zone ".
Position 12m : 05° 53.9'North, 77° 50.7' " exclusive economic zone ", " continental
Eut shelf " , or " pollution prevention zone " shall
Position 13m : 05° 00.0'North, 77° 10.6' be read and construed subject to and in
East; accordance with the provisions of this Law.
(c) the boundary between Sri Lanka and 12. In order to give effect to the Construction of
India in the Bay of Bengal shall be principles and provisions of this Law, all other laws.
the arcs of Great Circles between written laws in force in Sri Lanka shall be
the following positions in the read and construed as though the
sequence given hereunder defined applicability of such laws, wherever relevant,
by latitude and longitude : extends to the limits of the contiguous zone,
Position lb : 10° 05.0' North, 80° 03.0' the exclusive economic zone, the continental
East shelf, or the pollution prevention zone, as the
Position Iba: !0° 05.8'North. 80° 05.0' case may be.
East
Position Ibb: 10* 08-4' North, 80* W.S' 13. (1) The Minister may make Regulations.
East regulations for the purpose of giving effect to
Position 2b: 10° 33.0' North, 80° 46.0' the provisions of this Law.
East (2) Every regulation made by the Minister
Position 3b: 10° 41.7'North, 81° 02.5' shall be published in the Gazette and shall
East come into operation on the date of such
Position 4b: 11* 02.7' North. 81* 56.0' publication or upon such later date as may be
East specified in the regulation.
Position 5b: 11° 16.0'North, 82''24.4' (3) Every regulation made by the Minister
East shall, as soon as convenient after its
Position 6b: 11° 26.6'North, 83° 22.0' publication in the Gazette, be brought before
East Parliament for approval. Every regulation

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which is not so approved shall be deemed to "military aircraft " means an aircraft
be rescinded as from the date of such which by reason of the equipment
disapproval, but without prejudice to contained therein, could be used for
anything previously done thereunder. any warlike purpose;

Minister's 14. In any proceedings before any court ship " means any description of ship or
Certificate. in Sri Lanka, if a question arises as to vessel or boat, or any other
whether any act or omission has been done or description of vessel used in
omitted to be done within or without the navigation on or below the waters
territorial sea of Sri Lanka, or in any other and not exclusively propelled by
zone or jurisdiction declared under this Law, oars, paddles or poles, and includes
a certificate of the Minister signed by him all equipment, apparel and
shall be prima facie proof of the place where appurtenances (excluding supplies
such act or omission was done or omitted to for maintenance) which are
be done. necessary for navigation and
conduct of the business of the ship;
Interpretation. 15. In this Law, unless the context and
otherwise requires-
"warship " means a ship which by reason
" foreign aircraft" shall have the same of the equipment contained therein,
meaning as in the Air Navigation could be used for any warlike
Act; purpose.

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