The territorial sea extends from the baselines to a maximum distance of 12 nautical miles, calculated from the baselines. The State has full sovereignty over the bed and subsoil, surface and underlying water column and air space. Sovereignty shall not, however, hinder the right of innocent passage of which the ships of all States benefit in the territorial sea.

The maps represent the State Action at Sea in different French areas.

The maps show the network of protected marine areas (AMP) in mainland France, used to inform users of sea conditions and to inform authorities via display boards in port offices or any other public location. A protected marine area is a defined area at sea intended to protect the natural environment on a long-term basis. The list of protected marine areas is not exhaustive and not all such areas are visible due to the chart scale.