Application of the General Bathymetric Chart of the Oceans (GEBCO) Digital Atlas in the Delineation of Continental Shelves Under Article 76.

摘要

GEBCO can be used in the early stages of developing a case to demarcate a Continental Shelf under Article 76. Despite the uncertainties inherent in small scale mapping, it is very useful for producing a first approximation of a Continental Shelf boundary, for deciding if further, more detailed investigation is warranted, and for planning any further data collection. Advantages to using the GEBCO GDA include the fact that it is a multinational product with no bias, incorporating the data and interpretations of many nations, that it is universally available, that is sanctioned by the two International bodies that the CLCS is advised to cooperate with by the Annex to UNCLOS that established the CLCS, that has a pool of expertise whose advice may be sought and that includes the internationally recognized nomenclature of sea floor features.