The UKâs withdrawal from an arrangement allowing other countries to fish in British waters is an aggressive step, but not totally surprising, according to one of the countryâs largest fish producersâ group. Ministers will trigger withdrawal from the London Fisheries Convention, signed in 1964 before the UK joined the European Union, to start the two-year process to leave the agreement. An estimated 10,000 tons of fish, including mackerel and herring, was caught by fishing vessels from Convention countries France, Belgium, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands in 2015 within 12 nautical miles of the British coast – worth an estimated £17million. Mr Gove explained that leaving the European Union would involve exiting the EU common fisheries policy, which allows all European countries access between 12 and 200 nautical miles off the UK and sets quotas for how much fish nations can catch. 'Historic step'

Withdrawing from the convention, which was signed in 1964 before the UK joined what became the EU, means UK vessels will also lose the right to fish in waters six to 12 nautical miles offshore of the other countries. Environment Secretary Michael Gove, whose father Ernest’s Aberdeen fishing business closed down because of Brussels bureaucracy, said: “Leaving the London Fisheries Convention is an important moment as we take back control of our fishing policy. Yesterday, speaking about leaving the convention Mr Farage said: “That’s good as far as it goes, and to claim Sovereignty over our 12-mile fishing limit is a start, but international law changed in 1976 and our rights now are 200 miles or the median line from the mainland so what I want to know is are we going to claim our full rights under international law?” Barrie Deas, chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations, said: “This is welcome news and an important part of establishing the UK as an independent coastal state with sovereignty over its own exclusive economic zone.”
The United Kingdom announces it is withdrawing from the 1964 London Fisheries Convention, which allows several European countries to fish within 6 to 12 nautical miles of each other's coastlines.