UK Ireland Exclusive Economic Zone

An exclusive economic zone extends from the outer limit of the territorial sea to a maximum of 200 nautical miles (370.4 km; 230.2 mi) from the territorial sea baseline, thus it includes the contiguous zone. A coastal nation has control of all economic resources within its exclusive economic zone, including fishing, mining, oil exploration, and any pollution of those resources. However, it cannot prohibit passage or loitering above, on, or under the surface of the sea that is in compliance with the laws and regulations adopted by the coastal State in accordance with the provisions of the UN Convention, within that portion of its exclusive economic zone beyond its territorial sea. Before the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea of 1982, coastal nations arbitrarily extended their territorial waters in an effort to control activities which are now regulated by the exclusive economic zone. The exclusive economic zone is still popularly, though erroneously, called a coastal nation's territorial waters. The limits and boundaries of the UK, UK Overseas Territories and UK Crown Dependencies are available from this website in accordance with Articles 16, 74 and 84 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea. Limits are calculated from the normal baseline (the low water line on the largest UKHO charts) and limits are maintained by UK Hydrographic Office. Please note that these limits will only be updated annually. Delineation of the British Exclusive Economic Zone area boundary.