Glossary |
E |
| ecosystem | |
| The delicate relationships between all members of an environment. For marine life this spans from the lowest form of plankton to the largest mammals. (See Trophic Level). | |
| EEZ - see: |
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| EFZ - see: |
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| effectiveness of fishing | |
| A general term referring to the percentage removal of fish from a stock, but not as specifically defined as either rate of exploitation or instantaneous rate of fishing. | |
| enclosed and semi-enclosed seas | |
| For the purposes of the LOS Convention, enclosed or semi-enclosed sea means a gulf, basin or sea surrounded by two or more States and connected to another sea or the ocean by a narrow outlet or consisting entirely or primarily of the territorial seas and EEZs of two or more States (LOS Convention, Article 122). | |
| equilibrium yield | |
| The yield in weight taken from a fish stock when it is in equilibrium with fishing of a given intensity, and (apart from effects of environmental variation) its biomass is not changing from one year to the next. See also: sustainable yield. | |
| exclusive economic zone | |
| The exclusive economic zone
(EEZ) is a well established concept in conventional and customary international law. It is
a belt of sea, adjacent to the coast, extending up to 200 nautical miles from the
baselines of the territorial sea. According to
Part V of the
LOS Convention, within this area the coastal state is given 'sovereign rights' for the
purpose of exploring and exploiting the living and non-living natural resources of the
area. In addition it is given certain rights to establish artificial islands, conduct
research and utilize the super-adjacent waters. Under the
LOS
Convention, the coastal State has jurisdiction over these activities placed under its
authority, whether carried out by nationals or by foreigners and has the authority to
apply and enforce rules and regulations concerning these activities, regardless of the
nationality of persons undertaking them. Importantly, although the territorial sea ends at 12 miles, the 188 miles of the EEZ are not 'high seas'. Thus, all other States, whether coastal or land-locked, continue to enjoy in the zone the freedoms of navigation and overflight, together with the freedom to lay submarine cables and pipelines and engage in other internationally lawful uses of the sea which would be exercisable under the regime of the high seas. It seems that the waters of the EEZ are to be regarded as sui generis wherein the coastal State has certain exclusive rights but many of the freedoms of the high seas are preserved. Thus, the coastal State does not have 'sovereignty' only 'sovereign rights' as witnessed by the preservation of other States' rights. |
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| exploitation rate | |
| Applied to a fish stock, it is the proportion of the numbers or biomass removed by fishing (usually expressed on a yearly basis). Thus, for example, if the biomass of a particular stock was 1000 tons and 100 tons was fished per year, the annual exploitation rate would be 10 per cent. | |