In what context is the term "contiguous zone" used?

The term "contiguous zone" refers to a specific area of the sea that extends from the outer limit of a coastal state's territorial sea out to 24 nautical miles from its baseline. This zone allows a state to exercise limited control for the purpose of preventing and punishing violations of its laws and regulations in areas such as customs, fiscal, immigration, and sanitary matters.

The context of law enforcement is particularly important since the coastal state has the right to enforce its laws within this zone, which is crucial for effective policing of activities that may occur along its coasts. This includes actions related to customs and immigration as well as other regulatory measures that the state deems necessary to maintain order and security.

While the other choices relate to various aspects of marine resources and regulations, they do not specifically capture the enforcement-related implications of the contiguous zone as directly as law enforcement does. The contiguous zone is primarily about the powers vested in a state to impose non-fishing related restrictions and actions, distinguishing it from areas purely focused on environmental regulations, fishing rights, or broad federal jurisdiction.