MANAGEMENT OF FISHERY RESOURCES
37
As can be seen, there is today an obvious lack of uniformity in the
delimitation of the offshore area where coastal states have exclusive
fishing rights. Thus, national claims vary as to the breadth of the
territorial sea. Furthermore, in many countries, there is a trend to
dissociate fishery limits entirely from the territorial sca. When states
establish a fishing zone extending further than the territorial sea, the
zone concerned is not always exclusive and fishing rights may be
granted, either for a transitional period or without specified time-limit,
to fishing vessels of certain other states.
Mention should also be made of the recent practice whereby certain
coastal states in Asia, without claiming jurisdiction over fisheries,
reserve the right to regulate fishing in a zone contiguous to their
territorial sea and exclusive fishing zone, should this be necessary for
conservation purposes. Such additional zone usually extends up to
100 miles.
High seas
At the beginning of this century it had already been recognized that
the living resources of the sea were not inexhaustible and that, in view
of the freedom of fishing enjoyed by all nations on the high seas, it
would be necessary to ensure the rational exploitation of the resources
through international collaboration. At the same time, it became clear
that more research was needed into the biological and environmental
aspects of fisheries in the interest of this objective.
As a beginning, measures to achieve co-ordination of scientific
research and to take positive steps in managing the resources were
taken on a regional basis. The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea was established in 1902 to encourage and co-ordinate
investigation of the eastern North Atlantic Ocean, including the waters
off Greenland and Iceland. I n 1911 a convention was concluded for the
preservation and protection of fur seals and sea otters in the waters of
the North Pacific Ocean.
The question arose as to whether it was possible to make a global
approach to the problem of conservation and management of the
resources of the sea by seeking the widest possible agreement not only
on the basic principles which should govern all regional conventions but
also on the basic rules to be observed in areas of potential conflict.
The League of Nations considered including the exploitation and
conservation of the products of the sea among the subjects to be
submitted to an international codification conference. The major
fishing countries, however, believed that the diversity of the biological,
economic and political problems arising in different fishing areas would
37
As can be seen, there is today an obvious lack of uniformity in the
delimitation of the offshore area where coastal states have exclusive
fishing rights. Thus, national claims vary as to the breadth of the
territorial sea. Furthermore, in many countries, there is a trend to
dissociate fishery limits entirely from the territorial sca. When states
establish a fishing zone extending further than the territorial sea, the
zone concerned is not always exclusive and fishing rights may be
granted, either for a transitional period or without specified time-limit,
to fishing vessels of certain other states.
Mention should also be made of the recent practice whereby certain
coastal states in Asia, without claiming jurisdiction over fisheries,
reserve the right to regulate fishing in a zone contiguous to their
territorial sea and exclusive fishing zone, should this be necessary for
conservation purposes. Such additional zone usually extends up to
100 miles.
High seas
At the beginning of this century it had already been recognized that
the living resources of the sea were not inexhaustible and that, in view
of the freedom of fishing enjoyed by all nations on the high seas, it
would be necessary to ensure the rational exploitation of the resources
through international collaboration. At the same time, it became clear
that more research was needed into the biological and environmental
aspects of fisheries in the interest of this objective.
As a beginning, measures to achieve co-ordination of scientific
research and to take positive steps in managing the resources were
taken on a regional basis. The International Council for the Exploration of the Sea was established in 1902 to encourage and co-ordinate
investigation of the eastern North Atlantic Ocean, including the waters
off Greenland and Iceland. I n 1911 a convention was concluded for the
preservation and protection of fur seals and sea otters in the waters of
the North Pacific Ocean.
The question arose as to whether it was possible to make a global
approach to the problem of conservation and management of the
resources of the sea by seeking the widest possible agreement not only
on the basic principles which should govern all regional conventions but
also on the basic rules to be observed in areas of potential conflict.
The League of Nations considered including the exploitation and
conservation of the products of the sea among the subjects to be
submitted to an international codification conference. The major
fishing countries, however, believed that the diversity of the biological,
economic and political problems arising in different fishing areas would