Cook Islands Territorial Sea Baseline

The Territorial Sea Baseline of Cook Islands was derived from two high resolution satellite imageries called Geo-eye and WorldView -2 in 2011 and 2012. These imageries are referenced to the World Geodetic System 1984 (WGS 1984) datum. The baselines were defined and completed by Cook Islands technical team in collaboration with SPC in 2005.

Cook Island's Territorial Sea Baseline is categorised as a normal baseline. Under the United National Convention of the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), normal baseline can be drawn around low tide elevation which are defined as naturally formed areas of land surrounded by and above water at low tide but submerged at high tide, provided they are wholly or partially within 12 nautical miles of the coast.

The Marine Zones (Declaration) Act 2011 repeals and replaces the Marine Zones (Declaration) Act 1983 and defines the baseline of the territorial sea, the 12 nautical mile territorial sea and the 200 nautical mile exclusive economic zone. http://www.un.org/Depts/los/LEGISLATIONANDTREATIES/PDFFILES/KIR_2011_Ac…

SPC holds maritime boundaries data on behalf of Kiribati, including a complete set of topographical map collection for all of the islands and atolls of Kiribati. Some hydro-graphic charts are available for the Phoenix and Line Groups. These small scale hydrographical charts and larger scaled topographical maps were used to compare the reef outline digitised from high resolution satellite imagery acquired in the period from 2009 – 2011. A thorough review of the baselines was then undertaken from as early as 2007 and 2008 by SPC, in collaboration with Government of Kiribati.