9) Torremolinos International Convention for the Safety of Fishing Vessels, 1977. (this Convention has not yet entered into force).
At the present date,if an incidence of oil spill occurs in the waters of Nicaraguan damaging its living resources or causing any other damage,from the legal point of view Nicaragua is not able to claim any compensation due to the fact that neither its national regulations cover that important aspect nor Nicaragua is party of the following Conventions: a) International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution damage, 1969;and b) International on the Establishment of an International Fund for compensation for Oil Pollution Damage, 1971.
It is therefore essential that Nicaragua in the short term ratify the two Conventions above mentioned.
In the medium term, the Directorate of Water Transport in coordination with other competent institutions,must analyse and decide whether or not to submit the
ratification of the following conventions:
1) Convention on Facilitation of International Maritime Traffic, 1965.
2) International Convention for Safe Containers, 1972. 3) Convention and operating Agreement on the Internatio-
nal Maritims Satellite Organization (INMARSAT) 1976. 4) Convention on the Prevention of Marine Pollution by
Dumping of Wastes and other Matter, 1972.
5) International Convention on Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping for Seafarers, 1978. 6) International Convention on Maritime Search and Res
cue, 1979.
International conventions on maritime law not only cover aspects on safety and marine pollution. On the commercial side of the maritime transport some
international conventions have been developed to regulate the relationship between the carrier and the shipper, and some other aspects regulating the responsibilities of the parties engaged in the carriage of goods by sea.
It is suggested tha Nicaragua in the short term rati fy the following conventions:
1) Convention on Limitation of Liability for Maritime Claims, 1976. This convention entered into force on 1 December 1986.
2) Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law Relating to Assistance and Salvage at Sea, Brus sels, 23 September 1910. This convention entered into force on 1 March 1913.
3) Protocol to amend the International Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law Relating to Assistance and Salvage at Sea, Brussels, 27 May 1967. This convention entered into force on 15 August 1977. 4) International Convention for the Unification of Cer
tain Rules of Law relating to Bills of Lading, Brus sels 25 August 1924 and its two protocols of 23 February 1968 and 21 December 1979. This convention and its two protocols are in force.
5) International Convention for the Unification of Cer tain Rules of Law Relating to Maritime Liens and Mortgages, Brussels, 10 April 1926, This convention entered into force on 2 June 1931.
6) International Convention for the Unification of Cer tain Rules of Law Relating to Arrest of Sea-going ships, Brussels, 10 May 1952. This convention entered into force on 24 February 1956.
Nicaragua is party to the International Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law Relating to Collision between Vessels, Brussels, 23 September 1910. However it is not party neither to the International Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law Relating to Civil Jurisdiction in Matters of Collision, 1952 nor to the International Convention for the Unification of Certain Rules of Law Relating to Penal Jurisdiction in Matters of Collision or Other Incidents of Navigation, 1952. It is suggested to ratify them.
Another important task to be developed by the Directo rate of Water Transport in coordination with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is the delimitation of • the maritime boundary of Nicaragua.
By the Law on Continental Platform and Adjacent Sea, 19 December 1979, Nicaragua like most Latin American nations promulgated a 2D0 nautical mile territorial waters limit. The proclamation of the 200 nautical mile of territorial sea was not accompanied by any new regulation to cover the different aspects of living resources, non living resources and marine traffic in the waters of Nicaragua.
In this important matter, the United Nations have developed some international conventions in order to harmonize the different interests of developed countries against the interests of developing countries. The last convention is the third U.N. Conference on the Law of the Sea, 1982 which is not yet in force.
Brief Outline of the Third U.N. Conference on the Law of the Sea, 1982.
The Convention consists of a preamble,320 articles, 9 annexes and related decisions and resolutions. The? preamble sets out the objects and purposes of the convention. Articles 1-132 (parts I-X) deal with the definition of terms,and the main regulations concerning the territorial sea,the contiguos zone,straits,
archipielagic states,the exclusive economic zone,the continental shelf,the high seas,islands,enclosed and semi-enclosed seas, landlocked states, and related matters.
Articles 133-191 (part XI) deal with the regime and international machinery for the exploration and exploita tion of the resources of the international seabed area.
Articles 192-278 (parts XII-XIV) deal with the protec tion and preservation of the marine environment, marine scientific research, and development and transfer of marine technology.
Articles 279-299 (part XV) deal with the settlement of
disputes. ' '
sions,5uch as those regarding good faith and abuse of rights,peaceful uses of the seas,disclosure of informa- tion,archaeological and historical objects found at sea, and responsibility and liability for damage.
Articles 305-320 (part XVII) deal with the final pro visions, such as signature,ratification,accession,entry into force,reservations and exceptions,declarations,and amendments.
Annex I to the convention gives a list of the highly