[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 33, Volume 1]

[Revised as of July 1, 2005]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 33CFR2.22]



[Page 30]

 

                TITLE 33--NAVIGATION AND NAVIGABLE WATERS

 

         CHAPTER I--COAST GUARD, DEPARTMENT OF HOMELAND SECURITY

 

PART 2_JURISDICTION--Table of Contents

 

                     Subpart B_Jurisdictional Terms

 

Sec. 2.22  Territorial sea.



    (a) With respect to the United States, the following apply--

    (1) Territorial sea means the waters, 12 nautical miles wide, 

adjacent to the coast of the United States and seaward of the 

territorial sea baseline, for--

    (i) Statutes included within subtitle II and subtitle VI, title 46, 

U.S.C.; the Ports and Waterways Safety Act, as amended (33 U.S.C. 1221-

1232); the Act of June 15, 1917, as amended (50 U.S.C. 191-195); and the 

Vessel Bridge-to-Bridge Radiotelephone Act (33 U.S.C. 1201-1208), and 

any regulations issued under the authority of these statutes.

    (ii) Purposes of criminal jurisdiction pursuant to Title 18, United 

States Code.

    (iii) The special maritime and territorial jurisdiction as defined 

in 18 U.S.C. 7.

    (iv) Interpreting international law.

    (v) Any other treaty, statute, or regulation, or amendment thereto, 

interpreted by the Coast Guard as incorporating the definition of 

territorial sea as being 12 nautical miles wide, adjacent to the coast 

of the United States and seaward of the territorial sea baseline.

    (2) Unless otherwise specified in paragraph (a)(1) of this section, 

territorial sea means the waters, 3 nautical miles wide, adjacent to the 

coast of the United States and seaward of the territorial sea baseline.

    (3) In cases where regulations are promulgated under the authority 

of statutes covered by both paragraphs (a)(1) and (a)(2) of this 

section, the Coast Guard may use the definition of territorial sea in 

paragraph (a)(1) of this section.

    (b) With respect to any other nation, territorial sea means the 

waters adjacent to its coast that have a width and baseline recognized 

by the United States.



[USCG-2001-9044, 68 FR 42598, July 18, 2003, as amended by USCG-2003-

14792, 68 FR 60470, Oct. 22, 2003]