Geographic boundaries
Geographic boundaries
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The 200 mile EEZ around Iceland and around neighbouring countries (click on image for larger version). Map: Google earth
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The 200 nm EEZ reference points |
-Map_Iceland_EEZ_and_surrounding_area--(copyright-Google_earth).jpg)
The geographic boundaries of the Icelandic fishing grounds have changed with time. Originally, the grounds consisted of the waters above the continental shelf where Icelanders could conduct their fisheries in their small boats. Later the Icelandic fishing grounds were generally acknowledged as the International Council for the Exploitation of the Sea (ICES) fishing area Va. Most recently, the grounds have been extended to the 200 nm exclusive economic zone (EEZ).
These boundaries do, however, overlap to a large degree. All of the continental shelf above 400 m depth is both within ICES Va and the 200 nm EEZ, as is most of the shelf above 600 m depth. The minor exception is the Iceland-Faroe Ridge, which does not go below a depth of 600 m. This means that until around the 1970s most fisheries carried out in Icelandic waters were within all of these three zones.
The only part of the ICES area Va that is outside the 200 nm EEZ is an area east of Greenland that does not sustain large fisheries. However, the 200 nm EEZ also includes deep water north, east, south and west of Iceland that is not included within the boundaries of ICES Va. Also, some of the Faroese grounds (ICES Vb) are located within the Icelandic 200 nm EEZ. Generally, the Icelandic 200 nm zone covers most of the ICES Va.
In all the most recent statistics, when referring to Iceland grounds, it is within the Icelandic 200 mile EEZ. The reference line, the 200 mile EEZ, is measured from between the points listed on the right. The exceptions relate to a midline between Greenland and Iceland, and Iceland and the Faroe Islands where the 200 mile EEZ´s of these nations would otherwise overlap. There is a full 200 mile EEZ to the NE from Iceland, despite the Norwegian Island of Jan Mayen, as it is uninhabited.
The territorial sea is, furthermore, delimited by a line from the low-water line of the islands of Kolbeinsey (67°08'9 N 18°41'3 W), Hvalbakur (64°35'8 N 13°16'6 W) and the outermost points and rocks of Grímsey.
Hörður Sævaldsson / Hreiðar Þór Valtýsson University of Akureyri
