Balance or bias? A critical appraisal of progress to date of New Zealand's Exclusive Economic Zone and Continental Shelf (Environmental Effects) Bill

Abstract

New Zealand has the sixth largest Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) in the world. The EEZ extends from 12 to 200 nautical miles offshore, whereas the Continental Shelf (CS) extends from the edge of the EEZ to the limits of the continental shelf. Together the EEZ and the CS contain approximately 5.75 million square kilometres, which is the equivalent to more than 20 times the land mass of New Zealand. Under the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (1982), coastal nations have the right to develop, extract and manage all resources which lie on the ocean floor of their EEZ’s and CS’s. Although to date there has been no attempt to assess the monetary value of New Zealand’s EEZ and CS, it is without doubt that the exploitation of these resources will bring great economic benefits to New Zealand. However, at the same time the marine ecosystem requires protection.