Exclusive economic zone of Portugal

Portugal's Exclusive Economic Zone

Portugal has the largest Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) within Europe, 3rd largest of the EU and the 10th largest EEZ in the world, at 1,727,408 km².^[1]

Portugal's Exclusive Economic Zone

• Continental Portugal 327,667 km²
• Azores Islands 953,633 km²
• Madeira Islands 446,108 km²
• Total: 1,727,408 km²

Portugal submitted a claim to extend its jurisdiction over additional 2.15 million square kilometers of the neighboring continental shelf in May 2009.,^[2] resulting in a marine territory of more than 3,877,408 km².

Map here Task Group for the extension of the Continental Shelf

Dispute with Spain

Spain disputes the EEZ's southern border, maintaining that it should be drawn halfway between Madeira and the Canary Islands. Portugal exercises sovereignty over the Savage Islands, a small archipelago north of the Canaries, hence claiming an EEZ border further south. Spain objects, arguing that the Savage Islands do not have a separate continental shelf,^[3] citing article 121 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.^[4] On the basis of this article, Spain claims the Savage Islands are not islands, but instead uninhabitable rocks. The Savage Islands are a protected Portuguese natural reserve, and thus its year-round inhabitants are workers of Madeira Natural Park who look over the isolated natural reserve, protecting its wildlife. Over the years, the Portuguese authorities have seized some Spanish fishing boats around the area for illegal fishing.^[5]

See also

• Fishing in Portugal
• Territorial waters
• Continental shelf
• International waters

References

External links

• United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea - Part V
• Sea Around Us Project - View the EEZ of all nations (Note that this site does not distinguish between territorial waters and the EEZ, and so tends to overstate EEZ areas.)
• GIS data at VLIZ Maritime Boundaries Geodatabase