Regulation & Ethics of Marine Harvesting (HL) (DP IB Environmental Systems & Societies (ESS))

Regulation & Ethics of Marine Harvesting

• Marine harvesting is the collection of resources from the ocean, including fish, seals, whales, and dolphins

  • It is governed by international regulations, particularly within a country’s exclusive economic zone (EEZ)

  • It involves complex ethical considerations, especially regarding endangered species and traditional hunting practices

United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS)

• UNCLOS is a convention created in 1982

• It is the law and governance of all oceans and resources

• The convention separates the ocean into 5 marine areas:

  1. Internal waters

     • Waters on the landward side of the baseline are considered internal waters

     • The coastal state has full sovereignty over these waters

  2. Territorial sea

     • Extends 12 nautical miles from the baseline

     • The coastal state has sovereignty over these waters, similar to its land territory

     • Foreign ships have the right of innocent passage, but the coastal state can regulate activities in this zone

  3. Contiguous zone

     • Extends from 12 to 24 nautical miles from the baseline

     • The coastal state can enforce laws concerning customs, immigration, and pollution within this zone

     • But it does not have full sovereignty like in the territorial sea

  4. Exclusive economic zone

     • Extends from the baseline out to 200 nautical miles

     • The coastal state has exclusive rights to explore and use marine resources, including fishing and oil extraction

     • Other nations may pass through or lay submarine cables, but they must respect the state's regulations on resource use

  5. High seas

     • The areas of the ocean that lie beyond the EEZ

     • These waters are beyond any single country's national jurisdiction

     • No state has sovereignty over the high seas

     • They are open to all nations for activities like fishing, shipping, and scientific research

Exclusive economic zone (EEZ)

• Governmental control within the EEZ includes making decisions on:

  • The number of fish that can be caught

  • Who can fish?

  • Which species can be targeted?

• Some countries sell access to their EEZ to foreign nations or fishing companies rather than managing resources for the benefit of local people

• This raises equity and justice issues

  • For example, poorer nations might sell fishing rights to wealthy foreign companies

  • This can lead to overfishing, depriving local communities of fish resources

  • Local fishers may suffer when larger foreign fleets overfish their waters, reducing the availability of fish for the community and harming ecosystems

High seas regulation

• Beyond the EEZ lie the high seas, which cover nearly 60% of the world’s oceans

• In these areas, there is limited regulation and governance

• International bodies like the United Nations have developed treaties to:

  • Protect these waters

  • Regulate activities such as fishing, shipping, and seabed mining

• In 2023, the UN signed an International Treaty on the High Seas to:

  Create marine protected areas (MPAs)

• Improve the regulation of fishing and other activities in the high seas

Ethical issues in marine harvesting

Harvesting of seals, whales, and dolphins

• The hunting of marine mammals, such as seals, whales, and dolphins, raises ethical issues related to animal welfare, conservation, and cultural practices

  • Some species of whales and dolphins are endangered, and their hunting is highly controversial

Perspectives on marine mammal hunting

• Animal rights perspective:

  • The hunting of seals, whales, and dolphins is often seen as unethical due to the intelligence and social nature of these animals

  • Activists argue that killing marine mammals is inhumane and unnecessary, particularly when alternatives to animal products are available

    • For example, the hunting of pilot whales in the Faroe Islands (known as the grindadráp) faces international criticism due to concerns over animal cruelty and the sustainability of whale populations

• Indigenous rights perspective:

  • Indigenous groups have traditionally hunted marine mammals for food and cultural reasons

  • For these communities, such as the Inuit, hunting provides food, materials, and a connection to their ancestral traditions

  • Many indigenous groups argue that their hunting practices are sustainable and should be protected as part of their cultural rights

    • For example, the Inuit continue to hunt narwhals and seals as part of their traditional way of life

International Whaling Commission (IWC)

• The IWC regulates whaling, setting limits on how many whales can be hunted each year and which species are protected

• While the IWC has largely banned commercial whaling, some countries, like Japan, have continued to hunt whales for 'scientific purposes'

  • This has been criticised as a loophole for commercial whaling