The Canadian Contribution to the Concept of a Fishing Zone in International Law

On July 23, 1964, an act respecting the Territorial Sea and Fishing Zones of Canada was proclaimed by the Governor-in-Council and came into effect. It is a milestone in the history of Canada's attempts to gain greater protection of its interests in its adjacent shores; it does not mark the end of her international efforts but it constitutes a major stride forward in this direction. The Act has three chief effects: for the first time the breadth of the territorial seas of Canada is, for general purposes, defined at three miles; the straight baseline system is made applicable to the Canadian coastline; and a fishing limit is established extending twelve miles from the baselines from which the territorial sea is measured (nine miles from the outer limits of the territorial sea).