The word "EEZ" is spelled as /iːz/ in IPA phonetic transcription. It stands for "Exclusive Economic Zone" and refers to an area of sea or ocean that a country has exclusive rights to for the purposes of exploring and exploiting its natural resources. The spelling of "EEZ" is straightforward, as it is comprised of two vowels that are pronounced separately. The first is the long "ee" sound, represented by the letter "e", and the second is the letter "z", pronounced as "zee".
An Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) refers to a maritime zone that extends up to 200 nautical miles (about 370 kilometers) from the coastal baseline of a coastal state. This defined maritime area grants the coastal state certain exclusive rights and jurisdiction over the exploration, exploitation, conservation, and management of both living and non-living natural resources within its boundaries.
The concept of an EEZ was introduced by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) as a means to address the growing need to regulate and allocate resources in the oceans beyond national territorial waters. It is important to note that while a coastal state enjoys certain rights and sovereign powers in its EEZ, it does not possess full territorial sovereignty over this area.
The primary objective of an EEZ is to enable coastal states to exploit and manage the natural resources present within their adjacent seas, including fish stocks, minerals, and hydrocarbons. However, an EEZ also facilitates the conservation and protection of the marine environment and offers the coastal state the authority to regulate activities such as fishing, navigation, scientific research, and the construction of artificial structures.
EEZs are crucial in international maritime law as they provide a framework for resolving disputes, preserving marine biodiversity, and promoting sustainable practices in the world's oceans. As of now, numerous coastal states have declared their EEZs, delineating their rights and responsibilities in accordance with the UNCLOS guidelines.