The exclusive economic zone (EEZ) of a country is a maritime boundary it sets, under the auspices of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), seaward from its land border to 200 nautical miles from shore or to the EEZ of a neighbouring state, whichever is less distant. Rights provided within an EEZ include management of fisheries. There are many disputed EEZs around the world where multiple countries claim a single overlapping area—which often results in fishery mismanagement when two countries’ rules conflict. Fortunately, there is one less problematic EEZ dispute thanks to a recent agreement between the Adriatic nations of Italy and Croatia. After years of noncooperation, ending in 2022 with an agreement on paper (to be ratified by governments), the two countries agreed at a bilateral summit to each ratify the EEZ agreement, putting it into law in their land and at UNCLOS.
The long mismanagement and overfishing had brought key fisheries such as hake and langoustine in the northern Adriatic to the point of collapse. By the mid-2000’s, the crisis drew in the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to assist with sustainable fisheries and aquaculture practices. The crisis had turned Croatia into a net fish importer from an exporter. “By defining this [EEZ] line,” said Croatian Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Gordan Grlić-Radman, “Croatia and Italy will reinforce their cooperation in the Adriatic Sea, as well as our common cultural, historical, geopolitical heritage.” The arrangement includes a fisheries-restricted area (FRA) called the Jabuka/Pomo Pit. “The Jabuka/Pomo FRA has been promoted as an example of best practice in fisheries management and an example that needs to be followed in all steps, noting that its effectiveness also rests on the fact that all stakeholders supported its proclamation as a joint initiative in the region,” GFCM Fishery Officer and Subregional Coordinator for the Adriatic Sea Marin Mihanović explained. Officials hope that ratification of this agreement will inspire other Mediterranean countries entangled in similar disputes to follow suit.