All written assessments submitted electronically must be submitted through the link provided in iLearn. This unit will utilise Turnitin plagiarism detection software. Students should carefully check that they submit the correct file for an assessment, as re-submissions will not be accepted after the due date and time, including instances where students upload an incorrect file in error.

The design, moderation and feedback of all assessments is in accordance with the Macquarie University Assessment Procedure (link provided under ‘Policies and Procedures’ below).

Late Submission Policy

A maximum penalty of five (5) percentage points of the total possible marks will be applied per day to late submissions, for up to a maximum of seven calendar days. Tasks that have not been submitted within the maximum number of additional late days will receive a mark of zero. This provision does not apply to online exams or other assessment with a time limit of less than 24 hours.

Penalties for late submission will be applied consistently and equitably to all students enrolled in the unit. Where short-term, serious and unavoidable circumstances have affected their ability to submit an assessment task, a student must submit a formal application for Special Consideration as per the Special Consideration Policy. Students should not request an informal arrangement from their tutor, lecturer or Unit Convenor.

Where an application for Special Consideration is approved, and the outcome is an extension to the due date of a task, submissions that are received after the new due date will be subject to late penalties that are calculated from the new due date. This only applies where the outcome is an extension to the due date – see the Special Consideration Policy for a schedule of all possible outcomes.

Special Consideration

Students should submit applications for Special Consideration electronically via ask.mq.edu.au, along with the supporting documentation. Before submitting their applications, students should refer to the Special Consideration Policy (link provided under ‘Policies and Procedures’ below).

Summary

This unit provides a comprehensive overview of the international law of the sea, encompassing the rules and principles binding States in their international relations on maritime matters. Throughout the unit, students develop a theoretical understanding as well as practical knowledge of the law and governance of the various maritime zones, as well as the relevant legal and regulatory frameworks governing the protection of the marine environment. The unit explores the primary sources of the law of the sea, including treaties, customary law, and judicial practice. These sources are then tested in various contexts, such as protecting the marine environment from all sources of pollution, managing fisheries, regulating deep-sea activities, the interaction of the law of the sea with marine scientific research, and special issues associated with climate change in the oceans and international dispute settlement. In doing so, students analyse real-life examples, current problems and challenges, and ongoing disputes using the general principles, rules, and procedures of international law.

Delivery

Lectures: Lectures will be recorded and made available weekly via the unit iLearn page & Echo360. 

Tutorials: 6 x 2h fortnightly online tutorials, through Zoom. 

This unit is worth 10 credit points, which equates to 150 hours of work. Therefore, students should expect to commit an average of 10 hours per week to this unit, including all scheduled and unscheduled activities and preparing and executing the assessment tasks.

Prescribed Textbook

Yoshifumi Tanaka, The International Law of the Sea (4th edition, Cambridge University Press 2023)

Students can purchase this textbook online from online resellers such as Booktopia, Amazon and Zookal. 

Additional readings will be accessible through iLearn.

Students require access to a computer, internet with decent speed and a secure/reliable server. The iLearn page contains all Unit requirements and a weekly schedule for teaching, readings and tutorials. Information about all assessment tasks is also available on iLearn.

Topics Covered

1. Law of the Sea: History, Sources, Key Concepts & Principles
2. Baselines, Internal Waters, Access to Ports, Territorial Sea, Contiguous Zone
3. Continental Shelf & Exclusive Economic Zone, Seabed Energy Activities
4. Delimitation of Maritime Zones, Islands in Maritime Delimitation
5. Areas Beyond National Jurisdiction: High Seas & Deep Seabed, Submarine Cables & Pipelines
6. Protection of the Marine Environment & Controlling Pollution
7. Fisheries & Marine Resources Management
8. Marine Scientific Research 
9. Dispute Settlement in the Law of the Sea: Rules & Procedures/ Role of International Courts & Tribunals 
10. Crosscutting Issues & Future Directions: Marine Energy, Environment & Climate Change in the Oceans