Written answer of Canada to the question posed by the President of the Chamber on 5 May 1984

CORRESPONDENCE 375

118. THE AGENTOF THE GOVERNMENT OF CANADA TO THE REGISTRAR

8 May 1984

1have the honour to transmit herewith Canada's reply to the question' posed
by the President of the Chamber to Mr. Fortier on 5 May 1984.

Responseio the Questionof the Presidenr of rite Chamber. 5 May 1984

TheYarmouth Arch isa deep geological structure beginning under the middle
of Georges Bank. It trends from there northeastward IOthe Yarmouth area of
Nova Scotia (hence ils name). Some scientists consider that the Yarmouth Arch
demonstrates the continuity between Nova Scotia structural trends and those

under Georges Bank (J. A. Wade: "Stratigraphy <ifGeorges Bank Basin",
Canadian Counter-Memorial2, Annexes, Vol. 1,p. I<),para. 33 and note 34).
More important, the Yarmouth Arch is an uplifted fcature of older crustal
rocks that partially separates two basins of younger sedimentary rocks: namely,
the Scotian Basin, lying under the Scotian Shelf, the Northeast Channel and
eastern Georeeu Bank: and. Georees Bank Basin. lvin.,undeu western Georees L
Hank. ihc Great ~ouihCh;inncl aid ;ireÿj iurihcr rouihucrt. 11is iair IOs~y ihdt

uiihoui the Yarmouih Arch. ihcrc w~iuldbc n<isepsrrite Georges Ilxnk Basin,
and the Scoii3n Harinuould e\iend from Nc\vl'ounJIand IO south of Naniuckct.
Sedimeniary basins are significant because they coniain the geological features
in which hydrocarbons are found.
In light of these facts, the Canadian Memorial, Counter-Memonal and Reply
and Canada's argument in these oral proceedings have suggested that to the
extent discontinuities exist in the otherwise continuous continental shelf of

eastern North America, they are not under the Northeast Channel, but under
G~ore=~~Bank where the Scotian Basin and Georees~ ~ ~ Basin are oartiallv
scp3r~tcd. ;ilappriiiim:iicly the midille of ihe ~Jnk. by lhc ~armouih ~rch
(Canÿdi~nMcmorial '.pÿr;?.k0; C3n;idi:inCo.~niçr-\lcniori;iI'. p;ir;is 173-174;
C:in:idian Counler-Mcmorix12. Annexer. riiirJs 31. 38 and 10:Crinridl~n
Reply4, para. 168; VI, p. log).'
The Yarmouth Arch. the Scotian Basin and Georges Bank Basin are best
illustrated in Figure 16 of the Canadian Counter-Memorial (reproduced as

Figure 52 of the oral proceedings).

THE AGENT OF THE GOVERNMENT OF THE UNIlFD STATES
TO THE REGISTRAR

8 May 1984.

In accordance with Article 56 of the Rules of Court, I enclose documents to
which the United States proposes to refer during the second round of the oral