A country's territorial waters are the parts of the sea close to its coast which are recognized by international agreement to be under its control, especially with regard to fishing rights.
A number of governments banned the ship from their territorial waters.
territorial waters in British English
plural noun
the waters over which a nation exercises jurisdiction and control
Examples of 'territorial waters' in a sentence
territorial waters
`Brad," he said more quietly, `that buoy - is it outside territorial waters ?
Jenkins, Geoffrey A DAYSTAR OF FEAR
outside territorial waters, the ocean is classed as open sea.