INTERNATIONAL COURT OF JUSTICE MARITIME DELIMITATION IN THE AREA BETWEEN GREENLAND AND JAN MAYEN (DENMARKINORWAY) COUNTER-MEMORIAL SUBMITTED BY THE GOVERNMENT OF THE KINGDOM OF NORWAY VOLUME 1 1 1 MAY 1990 PDC . Printing Data Center a.s Oslo 1990 SUMMARY TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ................................................................... 1 PART 1: THE FACTS ............................................................. 5 A: Jan Mayen and the North Atlantic Region .................... 7 Chapter 1: General Overview ........................................ 7 Chapter II: Jan Mayen .................................................. 23 Chapter III: Norway's Interest in the Jan Mayen Region ........................................................................ 33 B: The Parties' Approach to Maritime Jurisdiction and Delimitation .................................................................... 53 Chapter IV: Continental Shelf Jurisdiction and Delimitation .............................................................. 53 Chapter V: Zones of Fisheries Jurisdiction .................. 61 Chapter VI: The Present Dispute .................................. 71 PART II: THE LAW ............................................................... 77 A: Treaty Obligations of the Parties Inter Se ..................... 81 Chapter 1: Delimitation of the Continental Shelf ......... 81 Chapter II: Delimitation of Fisheries Zones ............... 91 B: The Conduct of the Parties . Recognition and Acquiescence ................................................................... 93 Introduction . The Role of Recognition and Acquiescence ............................................................. 93 Chapter III: The Consistent Conduct of the Parties ... 95 Chapter IV: The Legal Effects of the Conduct of the Parties ....................................................................... 113 C: General International Law ............................................. 121 Chapter V: Introduction: The Applicable Principles .... 121 Chapter VI: The Significance of Islands in Maritime Delimination ............................................................. 133 Chapter VII: The Elements of an Equitable Solution 139 Chapter VIII: Conclusions on the Equitable Solution 185 D: Summary of Principal Conclusions. Procedural Issues ... 195 PART III: SUBMISSIONS ................................................... 199 Appendices ..................................................................... 203 List of Tables ................................................................. 243 List of Maps and Figures .............................................245 List of Annexes. cf . Volume II ..................................... 247 Maps .............................................................................. 265 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ............................................................. 1 PART 1: THE FACTS ............................................................. 5 A: Jan Mayen and the North Atlantic Region .................. 7 CHAPTER 1: GENERAL OVERVIEW ...................... 7 1. Historical Perspectives ........................................ 7 2. The Territories of the Region ............................... 10 3. Living Resources .................................................. 13 4 . Geology and Geomorphology .............................. 18 5. Oceanography and Glaciology ............................. 20 6 . Human Environment ............................................ 20 7 . Security Policy Aspects ......................................... 21 CHAPTER II: JAN MAYEN ....................................... 23 1. The General History of Jan Mayen ..................... 23 2 . The Administration of Jan Mayen ....................... 28 3. The Geology of Jan Mayen and of the Region between Jan Mayen and Greenland ..................... 29 CHAPTER III: NORWAY'S INTEREST IN THE JAN MAYEN REGION ............................................... 33 1. Historical Background ......................................... 33 2 . The Development of Whaling. Sealing and Fishing in the Jan Mayen Region ........................ 35 (a) Whaling ......................................................... 35 (b) Sealing ........................................................... 37 (c) Fishing ........................................................... 40 3. Cooperation on Capelin Management ................. 44 4 . Other Activities in the Jan Mayen Region ........... 49 5 . Conclusion ......................................................... 50 B: The Parties' Approach to Maritime Jurisdiction and Delimitation ................................................................... 53 CHAPTER IV: CONTINENTAL SHELF JURISDICTION AND DELIMITATION ................... 53 1. Norway ................................................................. 53 (a) Norwegian Continental Shelf Legislation ....... 53 (b) Norwegian Delimitation Practice ................... 54 2. Denmark ............................................................... 56 (a) Danish Continental Shelf Legislation ............. 56 (b) Danish Delimitation Practice ......................... 58 CHAPTER V: ZONES OF FISHERIES JURISDICTION ........................................................... 61 1. Norway ................................................................. 61 (a) Traditional Zones of Fisheries Jurisdiction .... 61 (b) Extension to 200 Nautical Miles .................... 62 2 . Denmark ............................................................... 66 (a) Traditional Zones of Fisheries Jurisdiction .... 66 (b) Extension to 200 Nautical Miles .................... 67 CHAPTER VI: THE PRESENT DISPUTE ................ 71 1. The General Background ..................................... 71 2. Forma1 Negotiations 1980-1983 ........................... 73 3. Further Contacts 1983-1988 ................................. 73 4 . Remarks on the Danish Memorial ....................... 74 PART II: THE LAW ............................................................... 77 INTRODUCTION ............................................................. 79 A: Treaty Obligations of the Parties Inter Se ..................... 81 CHAPTER 1: DELIMITATION OF THE CONTINENTAL SHELF ........................................ 81 1. The Background ................................................... 81 2 . The Treaty Obligations ........................................ 81 (a) The 1965 Agreement between Norway and Denmark ......................................................... 81 (b) The 1958 Convention on the Continental Shelf ................................................................ 84 3. The United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982 ................................................ 86 CHAPTER II: DELIMITATION OF FISHERIES ZONES .......................................................................... 91 B: The Conduct of the Parties . Recognition and Acquiescence .................................................................. 93 INTRODUCTION . THE ROLE OF RECOGNITION AND ACQUIESCENCE ................. 93 CHAPTER III: THE CONSISTENT CONDUCT OF THE PARTIES ....................................................... 95 1. The Sequence of Consistent Conduct .................. 95 .The Danish Royal Decree of 7 June 1963 concerning the Continental Shelf ................... 95 .The Norwegian Royal Decree of 31 May 1963 relating to the Exploration for and Exploitation of Submarine Natural Resources ........................................................ 97 .The Boundary Agreement between Norway and Denmark of 1965..................................... 97 .The Fishing Territory of Denmark Act of 17 December 1976 ............................................... 98 .The Economic Zone of Norway Act of 17 December 1976 ............................................... 99 .The Positions of the Parties during Negotiations at UNCLOS III ........................ 99 .Danish-Norwegian Delimitation Agreement concerning the Faroes ..................................... 103 .The Danish Executive Order of 14 May 1980................................................................. 103 .The Norwegian Royal Decree of 23 May 1980................................................................. 105 .Diplomatic Exchanges in the Period 1979-1980 ........................................................ 105 .Ministerial Statements in the Norwegian Parliament on 6 June 1980 ............................. 107 .The Forma1 Negotiations, 1980-1983 ............. 108 2. Practice concerning Delimitation of Fisheries Zones ................................................................... 108 3. Conclusions on the Evidence ................................ 111 CHAPTER IV: THE LEGAL EFFECTS OF THE CONDUCT OF THE PARTIES .................................. 113 1. The Overall Picture ............................................ 113 2. Express Recognition and Adoption of the Median Line Boundary ........................................ 114 3. Tacit Recognition of the Median Line Boundary resulting from Danish Conduct ............................ 116 4 . In the Circumstances the Median Line 1s Opposable to Denmark ........................................ 117 5. In the Circumstances the Danish Claim to a "200-Mile Outer Limit" Boundary between Greenland and Jan Mayen 1s Not Opposable to Norway ................................................................. 119 6. Estoppel ............................................................... 119 C: General