Ecological and Fisheries Protection Zone

Ecological and Fisheries Protection Zone

The Ecological and Fisheries Protection Zone (Croatian: "Zaštićeni ekološko-ribolovni pojas", ZERP) is a protected fishing area over Croatia's Exclusive Economic Zone.

ZERP was initiated by the Croatian Peasant Party, then a member of Croatia's governing coalition. [http://hss.javno.info/gn.php?m=1&rbr=20307&kategorija=0 Protected Ecological Fishery Zone: Now or Never] ] It was then legislated by the Croatian Government of Ivica Račan on October 3 2003, and came into effect exactly one year later, excluding European Union member states. The government informed the United Nations Secretariat of the decision prior to the 2004 enactment of the zone. On January 1 2008 the zone came into full effect as it began to be enforced for EU nations. [ [http://www.mmtpr.hr/default.asp?id=4440 Enactment of ZERP for members of EU] ]

The zone has an area of 23,870 square kilometres. [ [http://www.mmtpr.hr/default.asp?ID=4441 Size of ZERP is 23,870 square kilometres] ] The exact boundaries of the zone date back to treaties between what was then SFR Yugoslavia and Italy in 1968 and between Croatia and FR Yugoslavia in 2001. [ [http://izbori.nacional.hr/articles/izbori_2007/38706/35/ Protection of the Sea and Interests] ] Prior to ZERP's declaration, Italian ships annually caught 300 million euros worth of fish from the zone - ten times the amount which Croatian ships caught. [http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2008/01/04/feature-01 Croatia seizes Italian boat days after fishery zone comes into force] ] In its enactment of the zone, the Croatian Government also cited the danger of the Prestige oil spill being repeated on the Croatian Adriatic, which would seriously affect the country's tourism industry. [ [http://www.un.org/Depts/los/LEGISLATIONANDTREATIES/PDFFILES/HRV_2003_Decision.pdf Decision on the Extension of the Jurisdiction of the Republic of Croatia in the Adriatic Sea, 3 October 2003] ]

The zone has widespread support in Croatia. All major political parties support the zone, including the Social Democratic Party, Croatian Peasant Party, and Democratic Centre [ [http://www.demokratski-centar.hr/content/view/573/48/ Support for fishermen and ecological zone] ] . The Croatian Democratic Union has been a cautious supporter, wary of the EU's response. [ [http://www.balkantimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/newsbriefs/2007/12/18/nb-01 Croatia's new cabinet may be formed by year end] ]

In 2008, Luigi Giannini, leader of Italian fisherman organization Federcoopesca, has declared that 1/3 of all Italian fishing activity is coming from ZERP [ [http://www.liderpress.hr/Default.aspx?sid=34750 Lider Press on Croatian] ] .

On 10 March 2008, the HDZ-led government decided not to enforce ZERP for EU members from 15 March 2008 onwards. [ [http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/newsbriefs/setimes/newsbriefs/2008/03/11/nb-01 Croatian government gives up ZERP for sake of EU accession talks (SETimes.com) ] ] [ [http://www.setimes.com/cocoon/setimes/xhtml/en_GB/features/setimes/features/2008/03/13/feature-02 Croatia gives up ZERP (SETimes.com) ] ]

Enforcement

So far no ship has been caught within the zone. However, on January 3 2008, the Croatian Navy intercepted an Italian boat which had passed through the zone and was actually in Croatian territorial waters. The fishing boat was escorted to Vis by a Navy warship and the three fishermen were arrested.

On February 6, 2008, the Turkish cargo ship "UND Adriyatik" caught fire just outside the Zone. According to the Croatian media, it was seen as a test for the ZERP. [ [http://www.jutarnji.hr/dogadjaji_dana/clanak/art-2008,2,6,,107702.jl Specijalci s Kurska gase požar unutar plamtećeg broda - Jutarnji.hr ] ]

References

External links

* [http://www.un.org/Depts/los/LEGISLATIONANDTREATIES/PDFFILES/HRV_2003_Decision.pdf Decision on the Extension of the Jurisdiction of the Republic of Croatia in the Adriatic Sea, 3 October 2003]


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