In 1981, Canada and the United States turned to a special chamber of the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to resolve a contentious overlap in their Atlantic ocean claims. Rich in scallops, cod, and potential offshore petroleum, Georges Bank in the Gulf of Maine was coveted by both nations. Prior to this landmark ruling, international law treated continental shelf seabed rights and water column fishery rights under separate legal regimes.
However, with the newly emerging 200-nautical-mile Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) framework negotiated in UNCLOS III, both states asked the court to draw a single, unified boundary line. Delivered in October 1984, the Chamber's judgment established equitable principles over strict equidistance, taking into account coastal geography and proportions while largely rejecting socio-economic history arguments. The ruling split Georges Bank, granting Canada the rich northeastern peak and the US the remainder.
More importantly, it established the legal precedent for drawing single maritime boundaries across the globe, defining modern EEZ law.