This course is an introduction to the basic principles of admiralty jurisdiction and practice.
Specific topics considered include maritime liens, seamen's rights, salvage, and carriage of goods.
The course is an exploration of the legal issues surrounding the use and protection of the lands, waters, and natural resources of the coastline, coastal watersheds, and the near shore marine environment. Topics studied include doctrines defining public and private property rights in the shoreline and submerged lands, coastal wetlands protection, coastal erosion, and public shoreline access. The seminar is organized around a series of problems based on contemporary applications of international law to conflicts between nations concerning rights of navigation, fishing, and national control over ocean space and resources. Consideration is given to the role of international institutions in defining and applying international norms, including the U.N. General Assembly and the International Court of Justice, and the roles of U.S. and Canadian laws and policies in shaping international norms and state practice. Federal statutes explored include the Magnuson Fishery Conservation and Management Act, the Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act, the Ocean Dumping Act, and the Marine Mammal Protection Act.