EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE (EEZ)

Saturday Brain Storming Thought (266) 15/03/2025

EXCLUSIVE ECONOMIC ZONE (EEZ)

An Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is an area of the ocean, generally extending 200 nautical miles (230 miles) beyond a nation’s territorial sea, within which a coastal nation has jurisdiction over both living and nonliving resources.

Key features of Exclusive Economic Zone

1) Extent

Extends 200 nautical miles (370 kM) from the baseline of a coastal state’s territorial sea

2) Rights

Coastal states have sovereign rights for exploring, exploiting, conserving and managing the living and nonliving resources within their EEZ

3) Jurisdiction

Coastal states also have jurisdiction in their EEZ for

A) Establishing and using artificial islands, installations and structures

B) Conducting marine scientific research

C) Protecting and preserving the marine environment

4) Non-exclusive Rights

Other states retain rights of freedom of navigation and overflight within the EEZ, as well as rights to fishing on a Non-exclusive basis subject to the consent of the coastal states

5) Historical Context

A) The concept of the EEZ emerged from the Third UN Conference on the Law of the Sea in 1982

B) The concept of the EEZ was adopted to resolve disputes over resource exploitation and territorial boundaries, particularly concerning fishing and energy sources

6) Other Notable Information

A) The United States claimed a 200 nautical miles EEZ in 1983

B) The area beyond 200 nautical miles is considered high seas, or areas beyond national jurisdiction

C) India has the 18 th largest EEZ in the world, covering an area of 2305143 Sq kM (890021 Sq Miles)

D) France has the largest EEZ due to its overseas territories and departments

E) India is also known to benefit from its EEZ for international trade and commercial activities

Territorial Sea

1) The territorial sea extends to a limit of 12 nautical miles from the baseline of a coastal state

2) Within this zone, the coastal state exercises full sovereignty over the air space above the sea and over the seabed and subsoil

3) A coastal state may legislate on matters concerning the safety of navigation, the preservation of the environment, and the prevention, reduction and control of pollution without any obligation to make these rules compliant with international standards

4) Resource use within the territorial sea is strictly reserved to the coastal state

Contiguous Zone

Contiguous Zone is a band of water that goes from the outer edge of the territorial sea to up to 24 nautical miles

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