Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) Boundary Policies & Procedures

This page contains court decisions, treaties, legislation, policies and procedures that guide the boundary making process on the Outer Continental Shelf. Some of the oddities and complexities of boundary creation for specific areas can be explained by understanding the underlying laws and decisions made over the years.

• Court Decisions — U.S. Court decisions affecting offshore boundaries
• Fixing California's Submerged Lands Act Boundary
• Treaties and Legislation — Includes coordinate listings for international boundaries:
  • Outer Continental Shelf Lands Act — As amended December 2000
  • Territorial Submerged Lands Act — Conveys submerged lands to the Territories including the Virgin Islands, Guam and American Samoa
  • United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea — Full texts of the Convention, current status, and historical background
  • Additional Treaties and Legislation — Including coordinate listings for international boundaries
  • Procedures — Used by the Bureau for determining marine boundaries