Mapping and research in the exclusive economic zone

By proclamation of the President on March 10,
1983, the United States claimed sovereign rights and
jurisdiction within an Exclusive Economic Zone
(EEZ). The United States is responsible for wisely
developing and managing the EEZ and its marine
resources and for protecting its environment.

The U.S. Exclusive Economic Zone is a region that
extends seaward 200 nautical miles from the coast
and brings within the national domain over 3 million
square nautical miles of submarine lands. The EEZ
contains vital natural resources, both living and nonliving,
of the seabed, subsoil, and overlying water.
Because most of the EEZ has not been explored, its
resources and their potential remain undefined