freedom of the seas

The concept of the "freedom of the seas" is a principle of international law that asserts all parts of the world's saltwater oceans are open to all nations and cannot be subjected to national sovereignty. This doctrine, first proposed by Hugo Grotius in 1609, became an accepted principle in the 19th century, championed by maritime powers like Great Britain.1

Freedom of the high seas encompasses rights such as navigation, fishing, and the laying of submarine cables and pipelines. Coastal states have sovereign rights within their territorial waters (up to 12 nautical miles) and exclusive economic zones (up to 200 nautical miles) for resource exploration and exploitation. Beyond these zones lie the high seas, which remain open to all countries, with the seabed beneath them considered the "common heritage of mankind". International agreements, notably the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, codify these rights and responsibilities.1234