Convention on the High Seas Document type Multilateral Field of application Global Date Apr 29, 1958 Source IUCN (ID: TRE-000144) Title (French) Convention sur la haute mer Title (Spanish) Convención sobre la Alta Mar Title (Other) Übereinkommen über die Hohe See Place of adoption Geneva Depository UN United Nations Language Chinese, English, French, Russian, Spanish Entry into force Sep 30, 1962 Subject Waste & hazardous substances, Air & atmosphere, Sea, Fisheries Keyword Marine pollution Deep sea bed Maritime zone High seas Sovereignty Exploration Access right Jurisdictional competence Marine fisheries Navigation Geographical area Arctic Abstract Objective: To codify the rules of international law relating to the high seas. Summary of provisions: States undertake to draw up regulations to prevent pollution of the sea by oil from ships and pipelines or resulting from the exploration and exploitation of the sea-bed (art. 24). They further agree to take measures to prevent pollution of the sea by dumping of radioactive waste and to cooperate with international agencies in taking such measures to prevent pollution of the seas or airspace above them resulting from radioactive materials or other harmful agents (art. 25). (Source: IUCN ELC, 08.2005, based on UNEP Register of International Treaties and Other Agreements in the Field of the Environment, 1996) Full text English French Spanish Website www.un.org treaties.un.org Country/Territory/Participant See Expanded View Show Map Countries Entry into force Ratification * Simple signature Reservation Afghanistan Sep 30, 1962 Apr 28, 1959 [1] Oct 30, 1958 - Albania Jan 6, 1965 Dec 7, 1964 [2] - - Argentina - - Apr 29, 1958 - Australia Jun 13, 1963 May 14, 1963 [1] Oct 30, 1958 - Austria Feb 9, 1974 Jan 10, 1974 [1] Oct 27, 1958 - Belarus Sep 30, 1962 Feb 27, 1961 [1] Oct 30, 1958 - Belgium Feb 5, 1972 Jan 6, 1972 [2] - - Bolivia (Plurinational State of) - - Oct 17, 1958 - Bosnia and Herzegovina Sep 1, 1993 Sep 1, 1993 [4] - - Bulgaria Sep 30, 1962 Aug 31, 1962 [1] Oct 31, 1958 Aug 31, 1962 Burkina Faso Nov 3, 1965 Oct 4, 1965 [2] - - Cambodia Sep 30, 1962 Mar 18, 1960 [2] - - Canada - - Apr 29, 1958 - Central African Republic Nov 14, 1962 Oct 15, 1962 [2] - - Colombia - - Apr 29, 1958 - Costa Rica Mar 17, 1972 Feb 16, 1972 [1] Apr 29, 1958 - Croatia Aug 3, 1992 Aug 3, 1992 [4] - - Cuba - - Apr 29, 1958 - Cyprus May 23, 1988 May 23, 1988 [2] - - Czech Republic Feb 22, 1993 Feb 22, 1993 [4] - - Denmark Oct 26, 1968 Sep 26, 1968 [1] Apr 29, 1958 - Dominican Republic Sep 10, 1964 Aug 11, 1964 [1] Apr 29, 1958 - Eswatini, Kingdom of Nov 15, 1970 Oct 16, 1970 [2] - - Fiji Mar 25, 1971 Mar 25, 1971 [4] - - Finland Mar 18, 1965 Feb 16, 1965 [1] Oct 27, 1958 - France - - Oct 30, 1958 - Germany Aug 25, 1973 Jul 26, 1973 [1] Oct 30, 1958 - Ghana - - Apr 29, 1958 - Guatemala Sep 30, 1962 Nov 27, 1961 [1] Apr 29, 1958 - Haiti Sep 30, 1962 Mar 29, 1960 [1] Apr 29, 1958 - Holy See - - Apr 30, 1958 - Hungary Sep 30, 1962 Dec 6, 1961 [1] Oct 31, 1958 - Iceland - - Apr 29, 1958 - Indonesia Sep 30, 1962 Aug 10, 1961 [1] May 8, 1958 Aug 10, 1961 Iran, Islamic Republic of - - May 28, 1958 May 28, 1958 Ireland - - Oct 2, 1958 - Israel Sep 30, 1962 Sep 6, 1961 [1] Apr 29, 1958 - Italy Jan 16, 1965 Dec 17, 1964 [2] - - Jamaica Oct 8, 1965 Oct 8, 1965 [4] - - Japan Jul 10, 1968 Jun 10, 1968 [2] - - Kenya Jul 20, 1969 Jun 20, 1969 [2] - - Latvia Dec 17, 1992 Nov 17, 1992 [2] - - Lebanon - - May 29, 1958 - Lesotho Oct 23, 1973 Oct 23, 1973 [4] - - Liberia - - May 27, 1958 - Madagascar Sep 30, 1962 Jul 31, 1962 [2] - - Malawi Dec 3, 1965 Nov 3, 1965 [2] - - Malaysia Sep 30, 1962 Dec 21, 1960 [2] - - Mauritius Oct 5, 1970 Oct 5, 1970 [4] - - Mexico Sep 1, 1966 Aug 2, 1966 [2] - Aug 2, 1966 Mongolia Nov 15, 1976 Oct 15, 1976 [2] - - Montenegro Oct 23, 2006 Oct 23, 2006 [4] - - Nepal Jan 27, 1963 Dec 28, 1962 [1] Apr 29, 1958 - Netherlands Mar 20, 1966 Feb 18, 1966 [1] Oct 31, 1958 - New Zealand - - Oct 29, 1958 - Nigeria Sep 30, 1962 Jun 26, 1961 [4] - - Pakistan - - Oct 31, 1958 - Panama - - May 2, 1958 - Poland Sep 30, 1962 Jun 29, 1962 [1] Oct 31, 1958 - Portugal Feb 7, 1963 Jan 8, 1963 [1] Oct 28, 1958 - Romania Sep 30, 1962 Dec 12, 1961 [1] Oct 31, 1958 - Russian Federation Sep 30, 1962 Nov 22, 1960 [1] Oct 30, 1958 - Senegal Sep 30, 1962 Apr 25, 1961 [2] - - Serbia Mar 12, 2001 Mar 12, 2001 [4] - - Sierra Leone Sep 30, 1962 Mar 13, 1962 [4] - - Slovakia May 28, 1993 May 28, 1993 [4] - - Slovenia Jul 6, 1992 Jul 6, 1992 [4] - - Solomon Islands Sep 3, 1981 Sep 3, 1981 [4] - - South Africa May 9, 1963 Apr 9, 1963 [2] - - Spain Mar 27, 1971 Feb 25, 1971 [2] - - Sri Lanka - - Oct 30, 1958 - Switzerland Jun 17, 1966 May 18, 1966 [1] May 24, 1958 - Thailand Aug 1, 1968 Jul 2, 1968 [1] Apr 29, 1958 - Tonga Jun 29, 1971 Jun 29, 1971 [4] - - Trinidad and Tobago Apr 11, 1966 Apr 11, 1966 [4] - - Tunisia - - Oct 30, 1958 - Uganda Oct 14, 1964 Sep 14, 1964 [2] - - Ukraine Sep 30, 1962 Jan 12, 1961 [1] Oct 30, 1958 - United Kingdom Sep 30, 1962 Mar 14, 1960 [1] Sep 9, 1958 - United States of America Sep 30, 1962 Apr 12, 1961 [1] Sep 15, 1958 - Uruguay - - Apr 29, 1958 - Venezuela, Boliv. Rep. of Sep 30, 1962 Aug 15, 1961 [1] Oct 30, 1958 - * [1] Ratification [2] Accession/approbation [3] Acceptance/approval [4] Succession [5] Consent to be bound [6] Definite signature reset zoom out zoom in Other references Literature 6 records related to this treaty. View literature