Legal Regime of Marine Environment in the Bay of Bengal

There is a growing concern about the change in composition of the atmosphere, depletion of the ozone shield, pollution of marines and rapid population growth leading to alarming imbalance between population and resources. Concerted efforts are being made across the world to curb the environmental degradation. The UN Conference on the Human Environment held in Stockholm in 1972 marked the beginning of the development of international environmental law by “soft law” mechanism. With the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, 1982, the state parties have been made obligatory to protect the marine environment, including all the resources therein. The present book is a treatise on the legal regime of the marine environment in the Bay of Bengal. It provides a comprehensive description and assessment of the legal regime governing this particular maritime area. It focuses on its protection, preservation and development. It deals with fisheries as well as the protection of the environment against pollution and the discharge of waste from land. Beginning with the study of fisheries management in the Bay of Bengal, the book includes in its study the major agreements and protocols, international documents on marine environment, seabed mining and its consequences, settlement of environmental disputes, and the present-day socio-economic condition in the Bay of Bengal region. The book also provides a bibliography to enable the readers to pursue their study further. The index that completes the book would prove a useful study-aid to all readers. Since the study is embedded in the global perspective of the protection of the marine environment, it shall be of significant use to all those in coastal and naval services, government executives, planners and policy makers concerned with the protection of the marine environment. For the scholars and teachers of International Law, it is an ideal reference book.