Abstract:
The EEZ concept has dramatically changed the legal map on maritime governance since its consolidation in 1982 when it was formally incorporated in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). This paper describes the scope and implications of the EEZ with regard to the rights and responsibilities of coastal states. The research seeks to address the issue of how a 200-nautical-mile EEZ affects the economic rights, sovereignty, and responsibility of a coastal state in regulating marine resources. This study will focus on the balance of rights and obligations of coastal states on their responsibilities vis-à-vis those on freedom of navigation and cooperation on the international plane as it examines a broad sweep of case law, state practice, and international disputes. The paper concludes with some recommendations aimed at improving the legal regime concerning EEZs to adequately address issues that are likely to crop up during the exploitation of these zones, especially issues like environmental protection and resource depletion.
Keywords
EEZ, Coastal State Rights, UNCLOS, Maritime Sovereignty, Resource Management, International Maritime Law, Marine Environment.