1st Edition
The Unruly Ocean Law and Justice in the World’s Oceans, Seas and Shorelines
This book introduces non-specialist readers to the history of how human societies have sought to control, use and exploit our oceans, seas and shorelines over time in different geographical and cultural contexts.
Oceans, Seas and Shorelines in Law examines the development of the modern international legal regime – the law of the sea, maritime law, marine environmental and pollution law, fisheries regulation, and underwater cultural heritage law – and considers how effective these laws have been in addressing the many challenges facing marine and coastal environments ranging from piracy and war to oil spills and the extraction of marine resources. It concludes by discussing the socio-ecological crises facing the world’s oceans, seas and shorelines, and explores current ideas for reimagining a legal regime that restores the health of our oceanic realm and offers a more holistic, transboundary, rights-based approach to ocean governance.
This book will be of value to law and non-law undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as research scholars and other educated audiences interested in a legal history of the world’s oceans, seas and shorelines.
Introduction
PART I – THE OCEAN AS TERRITORY
1. Undercurrents: Legal approaches and maritime concepts
2. Fluid boundaries: Shoreline borders and maritime zones
3. Disorder at sea: Piracy, war and illegality
PART II – THE OCEAN AS RESOURCE
4. An ‘inexhaustible’ bounty: Fishing and farming of marine life
5. Seafaring: Ships and shipping law
6. Disrupting the flow: Construction and extraction in the deep ocean
PART III – THE OCEAN AS ECOSYSTEM
7. The fragile ocean: Protecting species and ecosystems
8. Ocean space: protecting marine areas and regions
PART IV – THE OCEAN AS REPOSITORY
9. Overboard: Discharge, dumping and debris at sea
10. Shipwrecks to sea shanties: Safeguarding maritime cultural heritage
11. Ways of knowing: Ocean knowledge, research and data
PART V – THE OCEAN AS FUTURE
12. Anthropocene ocean: turning the tide of oceans governance
Biography
Dr Erika Techera is a Professor of Law at The University of Western Australia. She researches on international and comparative environmental law particularly oceans. She is a co-editor of the Routledge Handbook of International Environmental Law, 2021 and co-author of International Law of Sharks, 2017.
Dr Joy McCann is a historian affiliated with the University of Tasmania. Her research focuses on oceans, ice, islands and coastlines of the southern hemisphere, and her publications include Wild Sea: A History of the Southern Ocean, 2019.
