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The exclusive economic zone of Italy shown in green

Italy has the world's 48th largest exclusive economic zone (EEZ), with an area of 541,915 km² (209,235 sq mi).^[1] It claims an EEZ of 200 nmi (370.4 km; 230.2 mi) from its shores, which has long coastlines with the Tyrrhenian Sea to the west, the Ionian Sea to the south and the Adriatic Sea to the east. Its EEZ is limited by maritime boundaries with neighboring countries to the north-west, east and southeast.

Italy's western sea territory stretches from the west coast of Italy in the Tyrrhenian Sea including the island Sardinia. The island Sicily is in the southernmost area. Lampedusa is Italy's southernmost point. It shares treaty-defined maritime boundaries with France, Spain, Algeria, Tunisia, Libya, Malta, Greece, Albania, Montenegro, Croatia and Slovenia.

History

At the end of the 1990s, no country bordering the Mediterranean Sea proclaimed an EEZ, even if it had the right to do so. The basis of this situation were above all geographical considerations: at no point in the Mediterranean are the coasts 400 or more miles away from the opposite coasts of another country. There were also reasons of expediency, e.g. avoid disturbing the status quo for possible disputes. The Mediterranean was therefore characterized by extensive areas of high seas, and there were only limited areas reserved for fishing, such as a Maltese EEZ of 25 miles. In Italy, UNCLOS entered into force on 16 December 1994.^[2]

At the end of the 20th century this principle was undermined by initiatives of some countries:

1994: Algeria's restricted fishing area
1997: Spain's fisheries protection zone
2003: ecological protection zones of France; Croatian ecological and fisheries protection zone
2005: Libya fisheries protection zone
2006: the ecological protection zone of Italy^[3]

A boost to the creation of EEZs came from the European Union's marine resources management policy in order to counter the development of illegal fishing by fishing vessels from Asian countries (see Common Fisheries Policy).

Geography

These are the 10 largest islands of Italy.

Largest Italian Islands^[1]
Territory	km²	sq mi
Sicily	25,711	9,927
Sardinia	24,089	9,301
Elba	223	86
Sant'Antioco	109	42
Pantelleria	83	32
San Pietro	51	20
Asinara	51	20
Ischia	46	18
Lipari	37	14
Salina	26	10
Total	50,424	19,469

Disputes

Algeria

Algeria established an EEZ on 17 April 2018.^[4] On 28 November 2018 the permanent mission of Italy to the United Nations indicated with Spain that the Algerian measure was taken unilaterally and without consulting them.^[5] On 20 June 2019, Algeria communicated to the Italian embassy^[6] the eligibility for their exclusive economic zone.

Croatia

Croatia's ZERP (Ecological and Fisheries Protection Zone) in the Adriatic Sea caused friction with Italy and Slovenia, and caused problems during the accession of Croatia to the European Union.

France

On 21 March 2015, a treaty was signed in Caen to define the maritime borders along the French Riviera, between the Tuscan Archipelago and Corsica and north of Sardinia in the Strait of Bonifacio. This agreement would transpose the international norms on maritime borders respecting the principle of equidistance, replacing the Menton agreements of 1892 and incorporating the agreements on the Strait of Bonifacio of 1986.^[7] In January 2016, following the seizure of the fishing boat "Mina" off the Ligurian coast, the issue assumed relevance in the Italian political debate. Subsequently, France admitted the error in seizing the fishing boat since the treaty had not been ratified by the Italian parliament and was consequently null and void.^[7]

References

^ ^a ^b "Sea Around Us – Fisheries, Ecosystems and Biodiversity". Retrieved 1 April 2017.
^ Legge 2 dicembre 1994, n. 689 (Ratifica ed esecuzione della Convenzione delle Nazioni Unite sul diritto del mare, con allegati e atto finale, fatta a Montego Bay il 10 dicembre 1982, nonché dell'accordo di applicazione della parte XI della convenzione stessa, con allegati, fatto a New York il 29 luglio 1994), pubblicata nella Gazzetta ufficiale (Supplemento ordinario) n. 295 del 19 dicembre 1994.
^ La legge 8 febbraio 2006, n. 61 (GU n.52 del 3-3-2006) ha introdotto le zone di protezione ecologica oltre il limite esterno del mare territoriale. Per l'effettiva istituzione di tali zone, la legge 61/2006 ha rinviato a specifici decreti del Presidente della Repubblica. Una "Zona di protezione ecologica del Mediterraneo nord-occidentale, del Mar Ligure e del Mar Tirreno" è stata istituita con il decreto del Presidente della Repubblica 27 ottobre 2011, n. 209 (GU n.293 del 17-12-2011).
^ "Deposit by Algeria of a list of geographical coordinates of points, pursuant to article 75, paragraph 2, of the Convention" (PDF).
^ "Letter from Italy to the Secretary-General of November 28 2018" (PDF).
^ "Communication from Algeria addressed to Italy dated 20 June 2019" (PDF).
^ ^a ^b "L'accordo di Caen su confini marittimi tra Italia e Francia: tutto quello che c'è da sapere". La Repubblica. April 12, 2018. Archived from the original on March 27, 2022.