Sea is critical for human society as a whole1 and important for  states.  Throughout  history,  the  sea  has  had  a  variety  of  functions, including serving as a source of food, trade route, mean of conquest, battlefield, for fun or entertainment, body of water that  divides  or  unifies  nations,  as  well  as  for  the  exploitation  of  natural and mineral resources.2 The sea plays an important role in the economic and defensive sectors of coastal states. Utilization of  marine  resources  can  be  an  important  source  of  economic  growth for a coastal state. Abundant marine resources, both living and non-living, are also offset by increasing market demand.

HISTORY OF NATURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT IN EEZ REGULATIONS

The   emergence   of   the   international   law   of   the   sea   cannot  be  separated  from  the  history  of  the  development  of  international law of the sea which recognizes two concepts, first, res communis, which states that the sea is the common property of  mankind,  and  can  not  be  appropriated  or  owned  by  a  state.  Second, res nullius, which states that since no one owns the sea, it can therefore be appropriated and owned by individual states. At sea, the “first come first serve” rule applies, i.e. those who come first have the right to control the area.14Two theories emerged, namely the Bartolus Theory and the Baldus  Theory.  Based  on  Bartolus  theory,  the  sea  is  divided  into  two  parts  –  the  part  under  the  sovereignty  of  coastal  states  and  the  part  free  from  the  power  and  sovereignty  of  any  state.  This  theory  is  the  basis  for  the  division  of  the  sea  into  territorial  sea  and  the  high  seas.  By  contrast,  the  Baldus  Theory  distinguishes  three  concepts  related  to  sea  control,  namely  the  ownership  of  the sea, marine use, and jurisdiction over the sea and the power to protect interests at sea.

THE PHILOSOPHICAL BASIS OF THE AUTHORITY OF COASTAL STATES TO MANAGE NATURAL RESOURCES IN THE EEZ

EEZ  is  one  of  the  economically  most  important  marine  zones.26  An  indication  of  the  significance  of  this  zone  is  that  it  includes  more  than  90%  of  the  fishery  resources,  87%  of  the  discovered  hydrocarbon  resources  and  10%  of  the  manganese  in  the  world.  It  is  also  noteworthy  that  almost  all  the  important  navigation routes worldwide are inside EEZs.27As explained in the previous sub-chapter, the marine zone which  is  currently  known  as  the  EEZ,  was  formerly  considered  high  seas  where  no  single  state  could  exercise  its  sovereignty  and  sovereign  rights.  The  waters  with  a  maximum  width  of  200  nm  from  the  baseline  became  an  EEZ  and  came  under  the  jurisdiction  of  coastal  states.  This  area  is  governed  by  a  sui  generis  legal  regime  that  tries  to  keep  the  balance  between  the  rights  and  duties  of  coastal  and  non-coastal  states.28  In  the  EEZ  coastal  states  have  sovereign  rights  to  explore  and  exploit,  conserve,  and  manage  natural  resources,  both  living  and  non-living in waters superjacent to the seabed and of the seabed and in  its  subsoil.  Sovereign  rights  also  include  activities  needed  to  support exploration and exploitation of the zone. The jurisdiction of coastal states over the EEZ is related to the creation and use of artificial  islands,  installations  and  structures,  scientific  research,  as well as the protection and sustainability of the sea.Article   61   of   UNCLOS   1982   requires   coastal   states   to   determine  Total  Allowable  Catches  (TACs)  to  ensure  resource  sustainability.  The  EEZ  has  major  implications  for  the  efficient  utilization of fish resources through its limitation of free access.29A  coastal  state  that  does  not  have  the  ability  to  utilize  its  entire  TACs,  can  allow  another  state  to  use  the  remaining  TACs.  The  above provisions are only an option, not an obligation, so whether a coastal state will grant another state permission to explore and exploit  its  EEZ  is  entirely  up  to  the  coastal  state.  The  decision  must  take  into  account  all  factors,  including  the  importance  of  these  fishery  resources  for  the  economy  of  the  coastal  state,  as  well  as  the  needs  of  the  state  that  will  explore  and  exploit  the  surplus of these fishery resources.

CONCLUSION

The    conclusion    drawn    from    the    discussion    on    the    formulation of the problem is that the philosophical basis of the authority of coastal states to manage natural resources in the EEZ is  based  on  sovereign  rights  exercised  for  peaceful  purposes,  to  protect the environment and ensure the sustainability of fishery resources,  paying  attention  to  the  rights  of  developing  coastal,  landlocked or geographically disadvantaged states.In other words, sovereign rights include not only rights, but obligations as well. In fact, sovereign rights are privileges in the form  of  rights  granted  to  coastal  states  accompanied  by  great  obligations  and  responsibilities.  Coastal  states  should  manage  their  waters  either  by  exploring  or  exploiting  natural  resources  for  peaceful  purposes,  taking  into  account  their  sustainability,  and justice in the use and utilization of the sea.

Penulis : Enny Narwati

Kumala, M. T., Sunyowati, D., Narwati, E. and Vinata, R. T. (2023) “The Philosophical Basis of the Authority of Coastal States to Manage Natural Resources in Their Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ)”, Transactions on Maritime Science. Split, Croatia, 12(1). doi: 10.7225/toms.v12.n01.w05.