Fiji is seeking international recognition of the outer limits of its continental shelf beyond 200 nautical miles in the South Fiji Basin, with its claim covering the Lau–Colville and Tonga–Kermadec Complex region.
Fiji presented its case to a subcommission of the United Nations Commission on the Limits of the Continental Shelf (CLCS) on Monday in New York, outlining the scientific and legal basis of its partial submission.
The claim concerns the seabed and subsoil beyond Fiji’s 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone, where a coastal state may establish the outer limits of its continental shelf if it meets the scientific and legal requirements under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).
The submission does not constitute a claim to ownership of the entire ocean area. Extended continental shelf rights relate principally to the seabed and subsoil, including resources found there.
Fiji lodged its initial scientific and legal submission with the CLCS in April 2026. The commission subsequently established a subcommission to examine the claim and consider the information provided.
The 19 October presentation allowed Fiji’s delegation to clarify details of its submission and respond to questions from the subcommission on the legal and technical basis of the proposed continental shelf limits.
Fiji’s delegation is led by its Permanent Representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Filipo Tarakinikini, supported by Second Secretary Aliti Radevo, Fiji Hydrographic Services director Commander Jervis Robinson and senior marine scientific officer Robert Varea from the Ministry of Lands and Mineral Resources.
Technical experts Malakai Vakautawale of the Pacific Community (SPC) and Dr Alain Murphy, director of Geolimits, are also part of the delegation.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and External Trade said the preparation and finalisation of the submission had been undertaken by members of the Maritime Affairs Coordinating Committee, chaired by the ministry.
The process took more than a decade and reflected the work of current and former committee members.
The ministry also acknowledged the support of SPC and its consortium partners through the regional Maritime Boundaries Programme, which has helped Fiji advance its maritime boundary delimitation and extended continental shelf submissions.
The CLCS is holding its 68th session at United Nations headquarters in New York from 19 October to 20 November 2026.
Established under UNCLOS, the commission examines scientific and technical information submitted by coastal states seeking to establish the outer limits of their continental shelves beyond 200 nautical miles.
The commission considers whether the proposed limits meet the criteria set out in the convention. Its recommendations provide the scientific and technical basis for coastal states to establish the outer limits of their continental shelves in accordance with UNCLOS.
Fiji’s presentation is part of its continuing efforts to define its maritime rights and responsibilities under international law.
The ministry said the process reaffirmed Fiji’s commitment to UNCLOS and effective ocean management.
