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Commonwealth marine areas

Biscuit Star. Photo: David Harasti

Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, Australia has rights and responsibilities over some 16 million square kilometres of ocean. The great majority of Australia's marine area is under sole Australian Government jurisdiction. Around continental Australia, the Commonwealth Marine Area stretches from the external boundaries of the Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) which constitutes the waters 200 nautical miles seaward of the coastal baseline to 3 nautical miles from the coastal baseline.

In the Commonwealth Marine Area, Australia has the right to explore and exploit living and non-living resources, and the concomitant obligation to protect and conserve the marine environment.