The very nature of the sea, untamed and unconstrained, begs the question: who owns the fish? Within the economic zones, national laws apply to the exploitation of resources and environmental protection. But the masses of water above, and everything that happens in and on them, are also subject to legal regulations. Under international law, offshore oil rigs like the Deepwater Horizon are treated as ships, not real estate. The answer, in the terms of international law, is defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). The British-flagged oil tanker Stena Impero, which had been held off the Iranian port of Bandar Abbas for more than two months, set sail and reached international waters Friday, its Swedish owner said. International waters, or the “high seas,” as they are sometimes called, are the areas of the ocean that don’t fall under any nation’s jurisdiction. International Waters Definition. 5.3.1 States nearest the scene of an accident in international waters shall provide such assistance as they are able and shall, likewise, respond to requests by the State of Registry. The English Channel is approximated to handle more than 500 ships per day and hence is the busiest seaway. Additionally, the law of the high seas applies – it is part of international law. They are beyond a nation’s reach, which means that no one “owns” them. As a result of membership of the Common Fisheries Policy, we are now allowed to catch less than 20% of the fish that swim in British waters. Under international conventions, the "salvor" is required to return the found goods to the original owner in return for a reward. And it (or the "State of the Operator") decides who should take custody of the wreckage once … The important towns around the English Channel have a population of more than 20,000 people each. 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