An Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is a 200 nautical mile area from a country’s low-water mark where the country has exclusive rights to explore, exploit and protect marine assets. The EEZ is part of the territorial waters and contiguous zone, while the high seas have no claims. The 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea established the current rule for the EEZ. Countries with an EEZ have great control over how resources are used within it, even if it goes against international wishes. If two countries’ land is less than 400 miles apart, they split the EEZ equally.
An Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is a point extending 200 nautical miles (370 km.) from a country’s low-water mark, which is a point on the coast that may not necessarily coincide with a low-water mark. In this area, the owning country has exclusive rights to explore, exploit and protect the marine assets within that area. The exclusive economic zone, for example, makes it clear that a country can drill for and sell oil, or the rights to oil, within that defined area. The zone is an extension of the territorial waters and the contiguous zone.
To understand what an exclusive economic zone is, it is important to understand what other zones extend into the sea. The first boundary that extends into the sea is the territorial water, which is the area where all the laws of a country or jurisdiction typically apply. This zone extends 12 nautical miles (22.2 km.) into the ocean. The contiguous zone is an area where a country can usually enforce laws such as customs and immigration. It extends 24 nautical miles (44.4 km.) into the ocean.
The contiguous zone is part of the exclusive economic zone, as are the territorial waters. After the exclusive economic zone is the high seas. This is one area where no person can make a claim that is honored by any international agency. Some international laws may apply, but discoveries and resources can be claimed by anyone.
The 1982 Convention on the Law of the Sea established the current rule for the exclusive economic zone. Although established in the early 1980s, the convention did not go into effect until 1994. Since then, the zones have been in effect for all coastal nations. In some cases, countries or jurisdictions without a coast may also have access to some EEZ areas.
Within an EEZ, the country or jurisdiction with rights has great control over how resources are used, despite the wishes of the international community. For example, the US could harvest fish species in its own EEZ to a point considered unsustainable. No matter what the rest of the world thought, other countries would have no right to intervene. This is how some countries justify whaling.
In cases where there are less than 400 miles of ocean between two countries’ land, the EEZ can be limited to less than 200 miles each. Under such circumstances, countries usually split the difference equally. So, for example, if there are 100 miles (161 km.) between two countries, they would each have 50 miles (about 80.5 km.) of EEZ.
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