Ownership of the fish in 200 mile zones

The fish in a 200-mile zone are owned by the coastal state, under a completely new concept of tiered jurisdiction which has emerged in a relatively few years. The history of this development, not intended by the authors of numerous acts, is discussed. It is on the basis of this new concept of ownership that economic rent may be collected for the fish in the zone. This disagrees with the theory that economic rent may be collected even if the fish are not owned. Ownership does not have adverse implications for other jurisdictional aspects beyond the territorial sea.