How does the EEZ affect resource exploitation?

The Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) is a maritime zone extending up to 200 nautical miles from the coastline of a coastal state, where that state has special rights regarding the exploration and use of marine resources. The correct answer reflects that, within the EEZ, coastal states have the exclusive rights to exploit and manage both the living and non-living resources found in the water column and on or under the seabed.

This framework is established by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), which provides coastal states the authority to regulate fishing, oil extraction, mineral resource development, and other activities within their EEZ while also protecting their marine environmental resources. This means that other nations cannot exploit these resources without the permission of the coastal state, reinforcing its sovereignty in managing its maritime area.

The focus on exclusive rights highlights the balance that international law seeks to achieve between national interests and the sustainable use of ocean resources. Other options suggest alternatives that don't accurately reflect the established legal framework of the EEZ and its specific implications for resource exploitation. The importance of the EEZ in providing coastal states these rights is essential for understanding modern maritime law and the management of oceanic resources.