The legal jurisdictional limit is 200 miles offshore. This is the thorectical
limit of the Coast Guard, however the law states that the US governemt has
jurisdiction over all US citizens regardless of their location in the world and
claim jurisdiction for all waters not claimed by other nations. Legally if you
commit a crime in another country or in international water and if you are a US
citizen, the US can prosecute you. If you have any doubts I can refer you to a
former friend of mine that is doing 15 years for a crime he commited 370 miles
south-southeast of New Orleans. The US Coast Guard apprehended him when he
crossed within the 200 mile limit of the US. The government's contention was
that he was witnessed by DEA agents having possession of an illegal drug
although none were found when his boat was searched by the Coast Guard.

Just some food for thought!

Dennis

From: "FamilySailor"
Date: 7/9/04 1:31 PM Central Daylight Time
Message-id:

In Texas the State has jurisdiction out 3 miles. If you are more that 3
miles offshore you are out of the state, but the line for the US goes out
into the Gulf of Mexico until it borders Mexican waters and that is........
not sure exactly, but over 150 miles offshore. The US / Mexican border runs
straight out from where the Rio Grand river spills into the Gulf of Mexico.
I know, because I commercial fished along the line 20 years ago and Mexican
gun boats ran along the line looking for boats that floated across that line
staying by their fishing gear as it drifted. They would confiscate your
boat, gear, crew and you and throw you in jail, until your family could pay
some ungodly $200,000 fine or more, depending on how nice your boat was and
how much they thought your family might have. I would have rotted there.

Not sure how far it extends out in the Atlantic or Pacific. I know there are
no international water in the Gulf of Mexico though.

Sea Yawl,
John