Do Canadas rights over its continental shelf depend upon its submission to the Commission?
No. The rights of the coastal State over the continental shelf do not depend on occupation, effective or notional, or on any express proclamation. Sovereign rights are exclusive in the sense that if a coastal State does not explore the continental shelf or exploit its natural resources, no one may undertake these activities without the express consent of the coastal State (see Article 77 of UNCLOS).
