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The Fishing Waters (Designation) And Extended Maritime Jurisdiction Act, 2005 (Bill No. 51)

A BILL

entitled

AN ACT to make special provision for the designation of fishing waters and the extension of maritime jurisdiction

BE IT ENACTED by the President, by and with the advice and consent of the House of Representatives, in this present Parliament assembled, and by the authority of the same as follows>–
1. The title of this Act is the Fishing Waters (Designation) and
Extended Maritime Jurisdiction Act, 2005.
2. (1) Subject to the provisions of sub-article (2) hereof, the Prime Minister may by Order published in the Gazette claim sovereign rights for Malta, for the purpose of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the living and, or non-living natural resources therein, over such areas of the marine waters beyond the limits laid down in article 3(2) of the Territorial Waters and Contiguous Zone Act as may be designated in the Order and thereupon the areas so designated shall consitute part of the fishing waters of Malta as provided in paragraph (c) of article 3 of the Fisheries Conservation and Management Act.
(2) The Prime Minister may also by Order published in the Gazette provide for the exercise of jurisdiction beyond the territorial waters of Malta with regard to –

Short title.

Sovereign rights over designated fishing waters.

Cap. 226.

Cap. 425.

C 358

Amendment of Territorial Waters and Contiguous Zone Act, Cap. 226.

(a) the establishment and use of artificial islands, installations and structures<
(b) marine scientific research< and
(c) the protection and preservation of the maritime environment.
(3) Any Order made under this article may contain any such terms or conditions as the Prime Minister may deem appropriate.
3. In sub-article (2) of article 3 of the Territorial Waters and Contiguous Zone Act, hereinafter referred to as “the Act”, for the words “Fish Industry Act” and for the marginal note “Cap. 138.” there shall be substituted the words “Fisheries Conservation and Management Act” and “Cap. 425.” respectively, and for the words “shall extend” there shall be substituted the words “shall, with respect to the exercise of sovereign rights for the purpose of exploring and exploiting, conserving and managing the living natural resources therein, extend”, and the Act shall be read and construed accordingly.

Objects and Reasons

The object of this Bill is mainly to make provision allowing for the extension of Malta’s fishing waters and for the establishment of extended maritime jurisdiction and to make consequential amendments.