A Study on the Jurisdictional Problems for Fishing Vessels Engaging High Sea Fishery and the Responsibility of Flag States

공해조업선(公海操業船)에 대한 관할권문제(管轄權問題)와 기국(旗國)의 책임(責任)

In accordance with the establishment of 200 nautical miles EEZ regime as a customary international law since the mid - 1980s, the area of global high seas became reduced relatively. On the other hand, the importance of high seas fishing ground became serious for the distant-water fishing states like Korea. But it can be expected that international dispute on the jurisdictional problem of the fishing vessels engaging high sea fishery will occur frequently owing to institutional inertia of the UNLOS Convention on this matter. "The Draft Agreement to Promote Compliance with International Conservation and Management Measures by Fishing Vessels on the High Seas" as an international code of conduct for responsible fishing which was adopted by FAO in 1993 is providing the more consolidating and definiting rules for jurisdictional responsibility of flag states to make completion the loophole of the UNLOS Convention. As a precondition for the effective control and enforcement of activities of the fishing vessels engaging high sea fishery, the Draft Agreement is providing some articles allowing the flag states to hold the rights of granting nationality, fishery permission, fishery supervision and control with punishment for the fishing vessels entitled to fly their own flag. Accordingly it can be evaluated that this Draft Agreement does not deviate on the whole from the traditional practice and the basic legal principle of the UNLOS Convention.