United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea

Published December 10, 1982

The Law of the Sea Treaty covers a variety of ocean-usage issues such as transit, mining, research, pollution, resource management and sets out guidelines for nations. It is the result of the third UN Conference on the Law of the Sea in 1982, and came into force in 1994. The United States has signed the treaty though it has not been ratified by the Senate.