Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1975

3 Jurisdiction of sheriff

(1) Subject to the provisions of this section, the jurisdiction of the sheriffs, within their respective sheriffdoms shall extend to and include all navigable rivers, ports, harbours, creeks, shores and anchoring grounds in or adjoining such sheriffdoms and shall include all criminal maritime causes and proceedings (including such as may apply to persons furth of Scotland) provided the accused shall upon any legal ground of jurisdiction be subject to the jurisdiction of the sheriff before whom such cause or proceeding may be raised.

(2) It shall not be competent to the sheriff to try any crime committed on the seas which it would not be competent for him to try if the crime had been committed on land.

(3) Where sheriffdoms are separated by a river, firth or estuary, the sheriffs on either side shall have concurrent jurisdiction over the intervening space occupied by water.