Demystifying the Maritime Zones and Other Marine Boundaries on NOAA's Nautical Charts

The United States, pursuant to international treaties and customary law, has established maritime zones in which various activities are controlled or restricted. The limits of these zones, among a host of other information, have for years been depicted on NOAA’s paper nautical charts. NOAA is responsible for depicting on its nautical charts the official U.S. limits of the 12 nautical mile Territorial Sea, 24 nautical mile Contiguous Zone, and 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). While valuable, the charts can only begin to give notice to the public of the complexity of the laws that rely on these marine boundaries. At times the charts have even added to public confusion. There is only so much a piece of paper can represent – but what is the NOAA chart trying to represent? And will technology help NOAA do a better job in the future?