Journal of The School of Marine Science and Technology,Vol.5 No.1
A Study on the Dispute over the Delimitation of the Continental Shelves around the Island of Rockall
Hiromi USHIO
Abstract
The dispute over the delimitation of the continental shelves around the Island of Rockall erupted in the middle of 1970s when the promising potential for discovery of oil and gas on the submarine areas near that island came to be recognized.In 1988the Anglo-Irish Continental Shelf Agreement between the U.K. and Ireland demarcated the continental shelf.In 1999the U.K./Danish Agreement relating to the Maritime Delimitation in the Area between the U.K.and the Faeroes of May18,1999demarcated the continental shelf between the Faeroes and the U.K.just within the 200nautical mile baselines of each party. In and about the south part of the continental shelf designated by Denmark which is situated on the west of the Island of Rockall,however,the continental shelves of the U.K.,Ireland, Denmark and Iceland overlapped in large areas and so remains to be delimited. In my opinion we need detailed research and accurate information about the submarine areas geologically and geomorphologically around that island, because the resolution of this dispute requires the decision of the continental margin in Art. 76(4) of the UNCLOS.

On the other hand,there remains to be the problem of the clarification of the legal status of the Island of Rockall, namely whether this island is qualified to have its own continental shelf.With the exception of the U.K.which has the sovereignty over this island,the other three countries―Ireland,Denmark and Iceland―strongly disagree that this island has a large maritime areas such as a continental shelf and an exclusive economic zone.
     
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