The delimitation of maritime areas in the archipelagoes of State. Reflections in the light of the act 44/2010 of 30 December about the canary waters

Abstract

The passing of the Canary Water Act , of 30th December 2010, give us a new opportunity to reflect about the application of the archipelagic principle respect to the State archipelagos and to assess the effects and consequences that the application of this Act bring. The Spanish action derived from this Law joins the action of other mixed States which intend to promote a change in the Law of the Sea, aiming either to extend the scope of the principle for including the archipelagoes of States or to favor, also, a change in its regulation. This paper analyzes the issues related to the regulation of the archipelagoes by the International La of the Sea, the ones derived from the application of the archipelagic principle to the State archipelagoes and specially the consequences of the new Spanish Act, most of which have not cleared up by that regulation.