The Fisheries Convention or the London Fisheries Convention is an international agreement signed in London in relation to fishing rights across the coastal waters of

Western Europe Western Europe is the western region of Europe. The region's countries and territories vary depending on context. The concept of "the West" appeared in Europe in juxtaposition to "the East" and originally applied to the ancient Mediterranean ...

, in particular the fishing rights in the

North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Norway, Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands and Belgium. An epeiric sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian S ...

, in the

Skagerrak The Skagerrak (, , ) is a strait running between the Jutland peninsula of Denmark, the southeast coast of Norway and the west coast of Sweden, connecting the North Sea and the Kattegat sea area through the Danish Straits to the Baltic Sea. The ...

, in the

Kattegat The Kattegat (; sv, Kattegatt ) is a sea area bounded by the Jutlandic peninsula in the west, the Danish Straits islands of Denmark and the Baltic Sea to the south and the provinces of Bohuslän, Västergötland, Halland and Skåne in Sweden ...

and on the European Atlantic coast. It gives right of full access to the fishing grounds between 6 and 12 nautical miles of the national coastline to the fishing industry of those contracting parties that had already been fishing there in the period 1953–1962. This agreement is largely superseded to the

Common Fisheries Policy The Common Fisheries Policy (CFP) is the fisheries policy of the European Union (EU). It sets quotas for which member states are allowed to catch each type of fish, as well as encouraging the fishing industry by various market interventions. I ...

(the CFP), as all parties are members of the European Union.

Background and negotiations

Between Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Netherlands, United Kingdom the "International Convention for regulating the police of the North Sea fisheries outside territorial waters" (the North Sea Fisheries Convention) of 1888 applied which allowed fishing in each other's waters up to 3 miles from the coast line. The United Kingdom denounced this convention in 1963 in order to allow setting up a 12-mile exclusive fishery zone. After denunciation it invited the parties to that convention and several others to negotiate on several issues related to fisheries, which resulted in the Fisheries Convention. Negotiations took place between the parties of the European Economic Communities, the European Free Trade Association, the Commission of the EEC, as well as Iceland, Ireland and Norway.

Parties

The convention has 12 parties, while 1 signatory (Luxembourg) signed but did not ratify. Poland is a non-signatory which acceded to the convention after its entry into force.

Denunciation and withdrawal

The convention can be denounced after the passage of 20 years from its entry into force, subject to a two-year notice period. On 2 July 2017 the

United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...

Government announced that it would withdraw from the Fisheries Convention. Formal notice of the "denunciation" was given the next day, 3 July 2017. The denunciation took effect at the end of the transition phase on 31 December 2020 at 11 pm GMT.

References

{{Reflist, 30em

External links

treaty text
Treaties concluded in 1964 Treaties entered into force in 1966 Treaties of Belgium Treaties of France Treaties of Germany Treaties of Ireland Treaties of Italy Treaties of Spain Treaties of Poland Treaties of Portugal Treaties of Sweden Treaties of the Netherlands Treaties extended to West Berlin Fisheries treaties

Background and negotiations

Parties

Denunciation and withdrawal

See also

References

External links