Final answer:
The UNCLOS of 1982 established a legal framework for managing marine resources, set maritime boundaries, and allocated fisheries management responsibilities, but lacked strong enforcement mechanisms.
Step-by-step explanation:
A true statement in the context of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) signed in 1982 is that it set out a comprehensive framework that governs the rights and responsibilities of nations concerning their use of the world's oceans, establishing guidelines for businesses, the environment, and the management of marine natural resources. Specifically, UNCLOS distinguished areas such as territorial seas, economic zones, and continental shelves, allocating fisheries management and environmental protection responsibilities.
The convention sought to address the problem of overfishing and provided a universal legal framework for the conservation and sustainable use of oceans and their resources. UNCLOS also clarified maritime boundaries, which allowed countries to better manage their adjacent waters, including fish stocks. Despite its comprehensive nature, effective enforcement mechanisms were lacking, hindering its ability to prevent overfishing in some cases, as seen with organizations like the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT).