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How did the 200-mile exclusive economic zone established in 1977 affect the Sea of Okhotsk?

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Vertical physical map showing the seas of Japan and Okhotsk, highlighting underwater basins, trenches, and ridges, as well as the coastlines and boundaries of Russia, China, North Korea, South Korea, and Japan. Major cities, islands, and peninsulas such as Vladivostok, Tokyo, Hokkaido, Sakhalin, Kamchatka Peninsula, and the Kuril Islands are labeled. Water depths are indicated with color shading, and an inset locator map shows the region's position in East Asia.
Sea of Okhotsk

The establishment of a 200-mile exclusive economic zone (EEZ) in 1977 brought nearly the entire Sea of Okhotsk under the supervision of the Soviet Union.1

This designation significantly impacted the region by creating favorable conditions for the development of fisheries and the exploitation of mineral resources. As a result, the sea now provides a substantial portion of the total fish catch for eastern Russia. Furthermore, the establishment of this zone facilitated the discovery and potential development of oil and natural gas deposits located on the sea’s northern shelf.1