Exclusive Economic Zone Research Articles

Microbiological analysis of skin lesions of cod (Gadus morhua) from the southern part of the Baltic Sea.

Since the middle of the 1980s, severe skin disorders have been observed in Baltic cod (Gadus morhua) each year. Available data on the spectrum of bacteria isolated from the clinical cases being limited, and evaluation of the microbial background of fish skin lesions being useful, a bacteriological examination has been undertaken. A total of 1,381 cod were caught during two voyages of the Baltica research vessel in the Polish exclusive economic zone of the southern Baltic Sea. After an examination which found lesions in 164 of the fish, a microbiological analysis was performed to isolate bacteria from them. The collected strains were phenotyped and genotyped, and their antimicrobial resistance was analysed by minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) techniques. Bacteriological examinations provided 850 isolates. The dominant microorganisms were mesophilic Aeromonas spp., Pseudomonas spp. and Shewanella baltica. Opportunistic bacteria potentially hazardous to human health were also isolated, e.g. Alcaligenes faecalis, Staphylococcus epidermidis, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia and Vibrio sp. The MIC analysis determined the highest number of bacteria to resist sulphamethoxazole and amoxicillin and clavulanic acid. Most of the collected bacteria were opportunistic pathogens for fish, widespread in the aquatic environment, and potentially threatening to humans.

A wandering wedgefish illustrates the need for cooperative elasmobranch conservation in the Arabian Gulf

The smoothnose wedgefish Rhynchobatus laevis, a shark-like ray classified as Critically Endangered by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, has received limited research attention. To address the knowledge gaps in its spatial behaviour, this study utilised satellite monitoring of a fortuitously captured female over a 51-day period in the Arabian Gulf. Based on the resulting movement track, the individual covered a minimum distance of 712 km, traversing the exclusive economic zones of three different countries. Its track began in the United Arab Emirates, from where it headed north, entering Iranian waters, where it spent most of its time, before continuing westward across the Gulf and eventually reaching Qatari waters. Novel insights into its behaviour revealed an observation of rapid ascents over the study period. Although both diurnal and nocturnal ascents were observed, they occurred predominantly during nocturnal periods. Contrary to the prevailing belief that wedgefish are bottom-associated, the study animal spent a considerable amount of time in the water column. The use of various depths in both nearshore and offshore waters highlights elevated susceptibility to multiple types of fishing gear. This underscores the need for an international cooperative approach to the management and conservation of shark-like rays in the Arabian Gulf.

‘서희의 외교 전략’을 통한 동북아시아 외교 문제의 해법

This study examines and applies the diplomatic strategy of Seo Hee, a renowned Goryea diplomat, in resolving Northeast Asian diplomatic challenges that remain unresolved in the 21st century. The examination focuses on Seo Hee’s diplomatic negotiations in the wake of Goryeo’s territorial dispute with the Khitans.
 Seo Hee’s diplomatic resolution with Khitan general Xiao Sunning, leading to the acquisition of six provinces east of the Aprok River(Yalu River), may offer clues to resolving presentday diplomatic issues in Northeast Asia involving Korea. Based on the framework of Seo Hee’s diplomatic resolution with Xiao Sunning, this study proposes solutions to conflicts over the Northern Limit Line (NLL) interpretation between South Korea and North Korea, territorial claims to Dokdo between South Korea and Japan, and the exclusive economic zone between South Korea and China.
 Furthermore, the study advocates benchmarking South Korea’s foreign policy and strategy Seo Hee’s diplomatic resolution in the current international politics in the contradiction and persuasion, terming this diplomatic strategy Seo Hee’s diplomatic strategy for the contradiction and persuasion. Two key proposals emerge from Seo Hee’s diplomatic strategy: first, the importance of training and contradiction and persuasion style diplomatic experts; and second, the adoption of a pragmatic foreign policy with a win-win strategy in which the country and its diplomatic counterpart create mutually favorable outcomes together, rather than a one-sided win or loss. The study posits that South Korea’s diplomacy will make further progress with proper application of these proposals.

Using a bottom-up method to assess cruise ship activity impacts on emissions during 2019–2020 in China

COVID-19 has had a serious impact on the development of the global shipping industry, especially since the impact on the cruise tourism industry was unprecedented. This study took cruise ships sailing in China ECA, China Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), Yangtze River main line, and Xijiang River main line Chinese waters as an example to analyze the key changes in cruise ship emissions during the pandemic. Automatic identification system (AIS) data, vessel static data, and emission control regional data are used to conduct a comprehensive analysis of cruise ship emissions from multiple perspectives such as a port-to-regional comparison. As such, a vessel emission model (i.e., a bottom-up method) is constructed in this research for predicting China ECA and EEZ cruise ship emissions. Compared with 2019, the cruise activities sailing in China's Emission Control Area (ECA) are mainly at berth, and the emissions of cruise ships have dropped significantly, with SOx emissions reduced by 59.11%. In addition, this study also calculates the carbon emissions of China's regional cruises, supplementing China's cruise carbon pool. The research results suggest that cruise operators may improve fuel efficiency, decrease vessel speed, improve routing and scheduling, and enhance fleet management in order to further mitigate the negative effects of the cruise tourism industry on the marine environment.

Offshore application of landslide susceptibility mapping using gradient-boosted decision trees: a Gulf of Mexico case study

Among natural hazards occurring offshore, submarine landslides pose a significant risk to offshore infrastructure installations attached to the seafloor. With the offshore being important for current and future energy production, there is a need to anticipate where future landslide events are likely to occur to support planning and development projects. Using the northern Gulf of Mexico (GoM) as a case study, this paper performs Landslide Susceptibility Mapping (LSM) using a gradient-boosted decision tree (GBDT) model to characterize the spatial patterns of submarine landslide probability over the United States Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) where water depths are greater than 120 m. With known spatial extents of historic submarine landslides and a Geographic Information System (GIS) database of known topographical, geomorphological, geological, and geochemical factors, the resulting model was capable of accurately forecasting potential locations of sediment instability. Results of a permutation modelling approach indicated that LSM accuracy is sensitive to the number of unique training locations with model accuracy becoming more stable as the number of training regions was increased. The influence that each input feature had on predicting landslide susceptibility was evaluated using the SHapely Additive exPlanations (SHAP) feature attribution method. Areas of high and very high susceptibility were associated with steep terrain including salt basins and escarpments. This case study serves as an initial assessment of the machine learning (ML) capabilities for producing accurate submarine landslide susceptibility maps given the current state of available natural hazard-related datasets and conveys both successes and limitations.

Spatial distribution of the diatoms <i>Dactyliosolen fragilissimus</i> and <i>Cerataulina pelagica</i> in the autumn phytoplankton of the South-Eastern Baltic in 2020–2021

The mass development of diatom Dactyliosolen fragilissimus and Cerataulina pelagica, which are atypical of the South-East Baltic Sea water area, were registered along the Sambia peninsula coastline in the mid of October 2020. Both species were found in the coastal zone of the western and northern coast of the Sambia peninsula to a depth of 32 m, from the Baltic Strait to port Pionerskiy. In early November 2021 a mass vegetation of C. pelagica was recorded –both in the shallow coastal zone of the northern coast of the Sambia peninsula and in the deep water zone of the South-Eastern Baltic Sea. The biomass of this species reached 2.8 g/m3. Both diatom species were abundant within the entire Russian Exclusive Economic Zone. The prevailing hydrological situation during the study period probably facilitated penetration of the species into the study area by surface transport from the Arkona Basin.

A comparative economic analysis of industrial fisheries targeting small pelagic fish in Mauritanian waters: Free license versus charter regime

AbstractIndustrial fisheries targeting small pelagic fish have significant socio‐economic implications for North West African countries. This study examines the economic performance of fleets operating in Mauritania's exclusive economic zone under the free license and chartering systems. Using national production data from 1989 to 2010 and economic indicator ratios from European pelagic fishing vessels, we assess the economic performance of pelagic fisheries over one decade. Our findings show that vessel characteristics have rapidly evolved, with free‐licenced vessels having a higher average fishing capacity than chartered vessels. The nominal number of free licenses increased from under 8% in 1995; the year of free licencing began in Mauritania, to over 80% in 2010. The estimated average economic output for 2000–2010 was US$ 231 million, with free licenses contributing over 80% of the total turnover (US$ 187 million). Vessels operating under free licenses made a greater contribution to wealth creation than the chartering regime. Foreign ship owners generated US$ 40.7 million (22%) in income, while chartering yielded US$ 3.6 million (8%). However, the chartering regime was more fiscally advantageous, contributing over 68% of pelagic fisheries tax revenues (estimated at over US$ 29 million). The small pelagic fishery has been subject to a system of total allowable catches and fishing quotas since 2015. This study provides insights into the economic dynamics of the small pelagic fishery, informing decision‐making and potential strategies to enhance the sector's performance and overall economic impact.

Cumulative effects of offshore wind farms on common guillemots (Uria aalge) in the southern North Sea - climate versus biodiversity?

Governments are under increasing pressure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and large-scale wind farms are being developed in marine environments worldwide. However, top predators are strongly affected by environmental change and anthropogenic activities. Common guillemots (Uria aalge, hereafter guillemots), as one of the world’s most numerous seabird species, are prone to interference with offshore wind farms (OWFs). This study assessed the cumulative impacts of all operating OWFs on guillemots in the German North Sea. These estimates were applied to quantify the possible conflicts between guillemot occurrence and current German government plans to implement large-scale OWFs. If OWFs were implemented according to the current maritime spatial plan for the German Exclusive Economic zone, they would cover 13% of the German North Sea. Guillemot numbers peak during autumn, with German North Sea offshore waters hosting approximately 90,000 individuals. Guillemot density in autumn was significantly reduced within a radius of 19.5 km around operating OWFs. Applying this disturbance distance to current installation plans, about 70% of the German North Sea would be affected, and an estimated 68% of guillemots in the German North Sea would experience habitat loss. This highlights the possible threat to guillemots in the southern North Sea if the current German government plans are implemented. The current estimates are highly relevant to decisions regarding marine spatial planning and management recommendations. Such evaluations are essential for developing sustainable scenarios including reducing the human CO2 footprint, whilst also conserving biodiversity.

Oil and gas in Lebanon: shattered expectations

The article is dedicated to the peculiarities of the oil and gas policy of the Lebanese Republic - one of the few countries in the Middle East that does not engage in hydrocarbon extraction. The issue of oil and gas production in Lebanon remains insufficiently studied, although certain aspects of Lebanon's oil and gas policy have been touched upon by Russian scholars in the context of the Lebanon-Israel multiyear maritime border dispute. The author examines Lebanon's attempts to discover oil and gas in the 20th and 21st centuries against the backdrop of the complex political and economic situation in the country, describes the procurement process, in which Russian companies were also involved, and addresses the legislative framework for hydrocarbon production and exploration. The article explores the prospects of significant hydrocarbon reserves in Lebanon, with special attention paid to exploration in the country's exclusive economic zone (EEZ). According to experts, Lebanon possesses substantial oil and gas potential, as evidenced by the discovery of significant gas deposits offshore Israel and Cyprus. However, initial drilling in Lebanon's EEZ did not confirm the presence of commercially viable hydrocarbon reserves. It is concluded that the unstable political situation in the country, as well as the dispute with Israel over maritime borders, significantly hindered exploratory drilling offshore Lebanon. The unsuccessful tender process in recent years indicates Beirut's insufficiently effective oil and gas policy. The author believes that even if confirmed oil and gas reserves are discovered, Lebanon's economic crisis cannot be resolved in the foreseeable future due to weak governance and a lack of developed infrastructure for hydrocarbon export.

New Zealand’s offshore sedimentary basins

ABSTRACT We present new interpretations and mapping that define the distribution, extent, and sediment thickness of 25 primarily offshore sedimentary basins within New Zealand’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and Extended Continental Shelf (ECS). These basins cover ∼1.64 million km2 of the ∼5.8 million km2 (∼28%) of New Zealand’s offshore territory. The sedimentary basins formed in different tectonic settings. Most initially formed during the mid- to Late Cretaceous in either a rift-related setting during Gondwana break-up, or within or atop the paleo Gondwana subduction margin. Others formed due to the onset of mid-Paleogene sea-floor spreading, or are related to Neogene–Quaternary subsidence driven by subduction processes. Slight to significant late Paleogene to Quaternary tectonic overprints are pervasive in basins located within the Hikurangi subduction margin’s deformation zone. Knowledge of the distribution and extent of these basins was refined during the multi-year ‘Atlas of Petroleum Prospectivity’ research programme, which builds upon many decades of previous research. New digital structure, isochore, and paleogeographic maps, along with annotated seismic reflection profiles, have been developed where data coverage has allowed, using a consistent set of age-equivalent seismic horizons tied to the New Zealand Geological Timescale. Maximum total sediment thickness of ∼11 km occurs in Taranaki Basin.

Taxonomy of Placospongia Gray, 1867 from Northern and Northeastern Brazil, with description of two new species (Porifera: Demospongiae: Clionaida).

The demosponge genus Placospongia includes 13 valid species, of which six occur in the Brazilian Exclusive Economic Zone. In the present study, we describe two new species of Placospongia from Northern (off the Amazon River mouth) and Northeastern Brazilian continental shelf and oceanic islands (i.e., Fernando de Noronha Archipelago), viz., Placospongia beatrizae sp. nov. and Placospongia amphinolastra sp. nov., and redescribe the holotype of Placospongia cristata Boury-Esnault, 1973, a poorly known species. In addition, we revise the Brazilian records of the allegedly cosmopolitan species P. carinata, P. melobesioides and P. intermedia, and provide new records of P. colombiensis and P. ruetzleri from Brazil. We demonstrate that P. carinata sensu Coelho & Mello-Leito and P. intermedia sensu Muricy & Moraes and Jimenez et al. belong in fact to P. ruetzleri, and that P. melobesioides sensu Mothes et al. and Gonzlez-Faras is a new species, described here as Placospongia beatrizae sp. nov. With the description of the two new species and synonymyzation of previous records, six species of Placospongia are currently known in Brazilian waters, two of which are endemic. A key to Placospongia species is also provided.

Micronesian States Natural Resource Law Features

The object of the study is the relations of environmental management in the Micronesian states, the subject is the legislation and doctrine in the field of exploitation of natural resources of the countries of Micronesia: Wake Island, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariinsky Islands, the Territory of Guam, the possessions of the United States of America. The author examines the features of the state natural resource mechanism in the listed jurisdictions. The article examines the institution of ownership of natural resources, the permissive procedure for the use of natural objects. In addition, the author addresses the problems of implementing the norms of international maritime law, explores the legal regime of the Micronesian waters. The work completes the "Oceanic Sonata" in the theory of natural resource law of foreign countries and takes it to the next scientific level, qualitatively raising the "bar" for followers. The relevance of the research is due to the theoretical and practical significance of the content of the article, which reflects domestic interests in Oceania. The author in the article operated with dialectical, logical, historical, formal legal, comparative legal, deduction, induction and other methods of cognition. The scientific novelty of the presented work lies in the originality of the conclusions and the work itself, which contains fundamentally new information on the subject of research. Legal publications about Micronesia are insignificant, "living classics" is presented to your attention - one of the few Russian scientific articles about this Pacific region, while the available works are largely outdated, and some jurisdictions are covered in the domestic sciences for the first time. The author discusses with foreign scientists, analyzing foreign doctrine and legislation, and suggests using the experience of the United States of America in the Russian Federation. At the same time, violations of the norms of international maritime law in the Pacific Ocean are noted, as well as cases of declaring the existence of an exclusive economic zone and the continental shelf of the United States of America in the waters of sovereign States and unoccupied atolls, but also their inclusion in the American Empire as possessions of the United States of America, acting as a possessor of other States.

Gymnothorax longinquus (Whitley, 1948) (Anguilliformes, Muraenidae), Long Moray: a first record from Malaysia

We report the first record of Gymnothorax longinquus (Whitley, 1948), Long Moray, (Anguilliformes, Muraenidae), from the east coast of Peninsular Malaysia. A single specimen was collected during a bottom-trawl survey in the exclusive economic zone off Malaysia in the South China Sea. Gymnothorax longinquus was previously recorded from populations in Australia, Thailand, the Philippines, and Vietnam. We present detailed morphometric and meristic data, along with brief diagnostic characters.

Climate Change and Institutional Resilience in Arctic Environmental Governance

This article highlights recent successes and failures in efforts to manage Arctic marine living resources to improve our understanding of institutional resilience—that is, the ability of cooperative institutions to maintain their performance despite severe disruptions to their operating environments. Rising ocean temperatures and other impacts of climate change may alter the spatial distribution of fish stocks, including their relative attachment to exclusive economic zones and their availability on the high seas. As evident in the examined Arctic cases, which involve the world’s largest stocks of cod, herring and mackerel, such changes may complicate core resource management tasks, including the regulatory task of reaching an agreement among user states on quotas and other restraints that align with scientific advice. The cross-case variance in regulatory resilience to climate-related and other changes in cooperative circumstances sheds light on general propositions regarding the drivers and inhibitors of institutional resilience, including institutional characteristics and the severity of the political challenges posed by changing circumstances.

Offshore wind energy potential along the Indian Coast considering ecological safeguards

This study focuses on assessing the offshore wind energy potential along the Indian Coast over a 10-year period (2005–2014) using high-resolution data from the simulation of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The predicted wind fields are utilized to identify potential sites, estimate offshore wind technical potential at different depths (ranging from 30 to 200 meters), and develop wind energy blocks within the Indian Exclusive Economic Zone. To ensure environmental protection, environmentally sensitive areas have been excluded from the offshore wind potential sites. The gross technical offshore wind potential was estimated to be 3941 GW within depths of 30–200 meters, excluding environmentally sensitive areas within the 0 to 30-m depth range. High-potential sites have been identified in the coastal states of Gujarat, Maharashtra, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu. The environmental offshore wind potential across these identified sites (feasible OWE sites) along the Indian coast is estimated at 432.34 GW within the 30 to 200-m depth range (at 140 m AGL).According to the report by the Central Electricity Authority (CEA), the predicted offshore wind power has the potential to significantly contribute to the country's total electrical power requirement for 2020–21. This study encourages exploration of offshore wind energy possibilities along the Indian coast and highlights the management challenges at suitable sites, including addressing potential conflicts between offshore wind energy development and other marine uses. The findings of this study can assist in the assessment of offshore wind resources and provide decision-makers with scientific evidence for the development of offshore wind energy in India, while also considering the management and conservation of marine ecosystems.

Zonal distribution of the stock of blue whiting <I>(Micromesistius poutassou)</I> in the North-East Atlantic in 2010–2020

In the management of the blue whiting fishery, the problem of exceeding the scientifically justified catch remains due to the lack of an agreement on national shares between Coastal States. In order to obtain additional data necessary to reach an agreement, a NEAFC Working Group was established by the Coastal States to form a report on the zonal distribution of the reserve. Until March 2022, a Russian specialist took part in the work of the group. The article analyzes the main results of the distribution of both international catches of blue whiting and biomass of the stock in accordance with the data of the international survey, according to the NEA economic, fishing zones and international waters for the period 2010–2020 was conducted. It was found out that during this period the largest part of the blue whiting of the stock was distributed in the fishing zone of the Faroe Islands, exclusive economic zones of the EU, Great Britain and economic zone of the Norway. The economic zones of Ireland (EU) and Great Britain were the main «holders» of the spawning stock with the most active fishing in the spring, while the Faroese fishing zone is the most significant zone through which the main migrations of a significant part of the stock pass throughout the year. The waters of the Norwegian economic zone were the main habitat of immature juveniles and feeding fish, to a somewhat lesser extent this applied to the waters of the Iceland economic zone. The results of this work can be used as a basis for dividing the total available catch of the blue whiting into national shares and can accelerate the achievement of an agreement between the Coastal States.

National Archive of Marine Seismic Surveys Web Portal Provides Public Access to US Exclusive Economic Zone Marine Seismic Surveys

AbstractSeismic reflection data collected within the US Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) represent a scientific resource with inestimable value. The US Geological Survey (USGS), in partnership with the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM), provide unrestricted public access to seismic data acquired since 1975 through the National Archive of Marine Seismic Surveys (NAMSS) portal. This map‐searchable web portal provides access to over 1,100 two‐ and three‐dimensional (2D, 3D) marine seismic data sets collected by the USGS and by the offshore resource industry. The industry data sets are released by BOEM under The Code of Federal Regulations 30 CFR Parts 551 and 580, allowing for the release of seismic reflection data after the completed 25‐year proprietary term from the issuance of the Geological and Geophysical (G&G) permit. The web portal provides tools to filter and identify surveys within the US EEZ and navigation and shapefiles can be downloaded with each survey. Seismic data sets downloaded from NAMSS have been instrumental in numerous scientific investigations along the US EEZ. These include studies focused on offshore marine geohazards, such as fault systems and submarine landslides, as well as gas hydrates and other geologic processes. Acquisition of such data sets, especially pneumatic‐sourced surveys, is becoming progressively more difficult due to environmental concerns and associated costs, thus preservation and public access to such high‐quality data sets is critical to maintaining the ability to conduct offshore seismic reflection scientific research along the US EEZ.

Geomorphometric maps of Australia’s Marine Park estate and their role in improving the integrated monitoring and management of marine ecosystems

The loss of marine biodiversity is a major global issue that needs to be prioritised. In Australia, a considerable proportion (48%) of its Exclusive Economic Zone is dedicated to marine protected areas. To effectively manage this network of marine protected areas Australia has recently introduced a Management Effectiveness system. This system is designed to identify, monitor, and manage natural values and the various activities and pressures affecting the Australian Marine Parks (AMPs). Key to this approach is the identification and accurate mapping of the location of these values and pressures acting on the seabed. The AusSeabed program is a national initiative in Australia aimed at improving access to bathymetric data and coordinating efforts to collect such data in Australian waters. This manuscript proposes a novel systematic processing method to create detailed and scalable geomorphometric maps from AusSeabed’s bathymetric data holdings, intended as a standard operating procedure for initial bathymetric data interpretation in the AMPs. Utilising this workflow, we produce seafloor geomorphometry maps across 37 AMPs within which sufficient bathymetric data has been collected. These maps can be used 1) for predictive mapping of biological assemblages; 2) in field sampling design for the collection of ‘ground truthing’ data (e.g. underwater imagery and sediment samples) to validate habitat maps from bathymetric datasets; and 3) as input datasets for subsequent geomorphological mapping with a deeper understanding of seafloor processes. This research highlights the importance of robust geomorphometry classification standards to ensure consistency in mapping Australia’s marine estate in preparation for the Decade of Oceans plans. The Seamap Australia program provides a stepwise approach to advancing Australia’s national collection of bathymetric data into derived products that can enable habitat mapping of Australian waters, providing a foundational tool for the adaptive management of AMPs.

Overcoming the Crime of Illegal Fishing in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Indonesian Waters from a Criminological Perspective

Article entitled Overcoming the Crime of Illegal Fishing in the Exclusive Economic Zone of Indonesian Waters in a Criminological Perspective, with a problem formulation of how to enforce the law in cases of illegal fishing based on Law Number 45 of 2009 concerning Fisheries, and how to deal with the crime of illegal fishing from a criminological perspective. Using a conceptual approach, which is a type of research method by examining library data or secondary data sources. The conclusion is that various efforts have been made by the government to prevent and eradicate perpetrators of illegal fishing, including monitoring and protecting EEZ waters, taking firm legal action, increasing the competence and empowerment of traditional fishermen, monitoring marine areas and so on. etc. In the criminal act of illegal fishing, enforcement or countermeasures that have been carried out are by giving a summons or warning to the perpetrators of illegal fishing by then burning or sinking the ship if they violate the provisions with sufficient initial evidence.

Conducting a Geographical Information System-Based Multi-Criteria Analysis to Assess the Potential and Location for Offshore Wind Farms in Poland

Offshore wind energy is becoming an increasingly important element in the decarbonisation of energy systems. This study aims to estimate the technical potential for offshore wind energy in the Polish exclusive economic zone (EZZ) of the Baltic Sea. Such estimates are necessary to plan the expansion of energy infrastructure. This paper proposes a multi-criteria analysis for the estimation of offshore wind potential and site selection using QGIS software (QGIS Desktop 3.28.6). The criteria include wind velocity, water depth, distance from nature conservation areas, distance from submarine cables and gas pipelines, distance from shipping routes, distance from fishing areas, distance from shipwrecks, and distance from the coastline. The best sites are identified through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). The results show that the total suitable marine area of 16,218.67 square kilometres can be divided into three parts, in which the highly suitable area for offshore wind farms accounts for 17.55%, the moderately suitable area accounts for 48.56%, and the marginally suitable area accounts for 10.26%. Two different wind turbine placement configurations are being considered, in which wind turbines with a nominal capacity of 15 MW are laid out: 2.5 km and 2 km apart from each other. The corresponding overall electrical capacities only in highly suitable areas equal ca. 9 GW and 15 GW, respectively. If this area is extended to also include the moderately suitable parts, these values increase to ca. 31 GW and 50 GW. The results indicate that the technical potential of offshore wind in the Polish EEZ is significant and should be taken into account when designing the future electricity generation mix.