What are littoral rights?

Littoral rights refer specifically to the rights of landowners whose property borders large bodies of water, such as navigable lakes or oceans. These rights grant them the ability to use and enjoy the water adjacent to their property, including rights to access, view, and sometimes the use of water for certain purposes. This distinction is important because littoral rights are primarily concerned with larger, generally non-flowing bodies of water, unlike riparian rights, which relate to smaller streams and rivers. Understanding littoral rights is essential for property owners and surveyors, as it impacts land use, development, and environmental regulations. The other options misrepresent the scope of rights associated with littoral areas, as they either pertain to different types of water bodies or specific uses that do not encompass the full nature of littoral rights.