12 Nautical Miles (12M) limit - Scottish territorial seas - Territorial Sea Act 1987 / Scotland Act 1998

12 nautical miles (from baselines) is the limit of the Territorial Sea (defined in the Territorial Sea Act 1987) which is that part of the sea adjacent to the coast of a state that is considered to be part of the territory of that state and subject to its sovereignty.

The limit of Scotland, as defined in 126(1) of the Scotland Act 1998, is also the Territorial Sea. It is detailed in the Scottish Adjacent Waters Boundaries Order 1999.

Between 6 and 12 miles, fishing by non-UK vessels is restricted to those with historic rights relating to specific fisheries and specific countries. These historic fishing rights are based on the 6 and 12 NM limits as they were in 1983 and defined under The Fishing Boats (European Economic Community) Designation (Variation) Order 1992 which varied the Fishing Boats (European Economic Community) Designation Order 1983.

Updated figures on coastline length etc. (as found in Scotland’s Marine Atlas) can be accessed in the ‘Data Sources’ tab at the bottom of the page.

See the legend tab on MS Maps NMPi layers for the various components of the limit; part of the limit is the Scottish Adjacent Waters Boundary..