The evolution and trend of the traditional fishing rights

“Traditional fishing rights” were once universally accepted by the international community. However, under a regime of Exclusive Economic Zones (EEZs) defined by the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) in 1982, these rights were treated as a reasonable allocation of the surplus of the total allowable catch (TAC) or dependence on phase-out arrangements in bilateral fisheries agreements. This has caused the gradual marginalization of traditional fishing rights. This paper analyzes the transformations and trends affecting the development of fishing industries around the world, especially the growth and decline of traditional fishing rights and EEZs.