San Diego Law Review
Document Type
Note
Abstract
With dwindling natural resources, the international community needs a legal regime to regulate the exploration of seabed resources, notably seamounts and guyouts. This Article evaluates the legal status of seamounts and guyouts under international law with suggestions on the possible uses of these phenomena, while also attempting to formulate and assess a legal regime that properly recognizes the different characteristics of the sea bed from land formations. The geological characteristics of Seamounts and guyouts are important to any legal consideration. Because seamounts and guyouts are underwater mountains formed by volcanic activity, they have many possible uses, such as for research, military bases, mineral resource development, transportation, fishing, communications, weather forecasting, territorial expansion. These possible uses prompt the necessity for determining the legal status of seamounts and guyouts, which has been lacking in current international conventions. Thus, this Article concludes by recommending the creation of an international legal organization, the International Oceans Agency, that will control the seabed.
Recommended Citation
S. K. Eaton Jr. & Janet Judy,
Seamounts and Guyouts: A Unique Resource - The Necessity for Express Recognition in the Formulation of an International Regime of the Seabed,
10
San Diego L. Rev.
599
(1973).
Available at:
https://digital.sandiego.edu/sdlr/vol10/iss3/9