Legal Definitions - King's Chambers

The term King's Chambers refers to specific coastal waters around Great Britain that are considered internal waters of the United Kingdom. These waters are defined by drawing imaginary straight lines between prominent coastal points, known as headlands or capes, effectively enclosing large bays, gulfs, and other significant indentations of the coastline. Within these "chambers," the UK exercises full sovereignty, similar to its land territory, which impacts various aspects such as navigation, fishing rights, and environmental regulations.

Here are a few examples to illustrate this concept:

• Fishing Rights: Imagine a large bay on the coast of Cornwall, England, with two distinct headlands marking its entrance. If an imaginary line drawn between these headlands encloses the bay, then the waters within are considered part of the King's Chambers. This means that only fishing vessels authorized under UK law would typically be allowed to fish there, as these are internal waters where the UK has exclusive fishing rights, distinct from the broader territorial sea or international waters.

• Environmental Protection: Suppose the Scottish government wishes to establish a new marine protected area to safeguard a unique population of seabirds and marine life within a large sea loch. If this loch is enclosed by headlands that place it within the King's Chambers, the UK government has clear and undisputed legal authority to implement strict environmental regulations, restrict certain activities like dredging or commercial shipping, and enforce conservation measures within those waters, much as it would on land.

• Maritime Law Enforcement: Consider a situation where a foreign-flagged cargo ship is accused of illegally discharging waste while anchored within a large natural harbor in Wales. If this harbor's entrance is defined by headlands that bring it within the King's Chambers, then the incident occurred in UK internal waters. This grants UK maritime law enforcement agencies, such as the Coastguard or Marine Police, full jurisdiction to board the vessel, investigate the incident, and apply UK environmental laws and penalties, without the complexities that might arise if the incident occurred in international waters.