This book is a thoroughly up-to-date text that will be used both as classroom course book and as a treatise and reference guide. The text contains engaging teaching materials that systematically introduce law of the sea topics, placing them in the context of important themes about the roles of international law and the international legal process. Historical materials of continuing importance appear alongside new materials that address such topics as maritime terrorism and port security, the protection of underwater cultural heritage, marine sanctuaries, deep-sea vent resources, and the operation of the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea and other new international organisations. These new topics complement a comprehensive treatment of rights and responsibilities in various zones of the oceans and on the high seas, fisheries, nonliving resources, marine pollution, vessel nationality, and jurisdiction over vessels, baselines, maritime boundary delimitation, and dispute settlement. The book contains extensive notes and commentary, along with carefully selected and edited readings and documents, some of which are not readily available in other reference sources. Citations to major primary and secondary readings are also provided, making the text an important tool for researchers.