The Turbot War: Gunboat Diplomacy or Refinement of the Law of the Sea?
This article attempts an analysis of Canadian environmental diplomacy during the recent « turbot war ». The dispute included the Canadian arrest of a Spanish fishing vessel, the Estai, beyond the 200 mile zone. Turbot, also known as Greenland halibut, is considered a straddling fish stock because it...
| Published in: | Les Cahiers de droit |
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| Main Author: | |
| Format: | Text |
| Language: | English |
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Faculté de droit de l’Université Laval
1996
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| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://id.erudit.org/iderudit/043395ar https://doi.org/10.7202/043395ar |
| Summary: | This article attempts an analysis of Canadian environmental diplomacy during the recent « turbot war ». The dispute included the Canadian arrest of a Spanish fishing vessel, the Estai, beyond the 200 mile zone. Turbot, also known as Greenland halibut, is considered a straddling fish stock because it is present both within and adjacent to the 200 mile zone. The Canadian response to the straddling stock issue involved a two-track strategy of unilateral action and multilateral negotiation. Canadian multilateral efforts included participation in the United Nations Conference on Straddling Fish Stocks and Highly Migratory Fish Stocks. This paper examines the underlying causes of the straddling stocks issue as well as the rights and obligations of coastal and high seas fishing states. Le présent article examine la conduite de la diplomatie canadienne durant la « crise du turbot ». Pendant ce conflit, un vaisseau espagnol, l'Estay, avait été arraisonné par la marine canadienne au-delà de la limite des 200 milles marins. Le turbot est un poisson dont la fréquence se raréfie, tant à l'intérieur qu'à l'extérieur de la zone des 200 milles. Devant la menace de disparition de l'espèce, le Canada a doublé son action unilatérale d'un effort intense de négociation multilatérale. Le présent article vise à exposer les causes de la réduction des stocks de turbot, ainsi que les droits et obligations des États dans le cadre des activités de pêche. |
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