UK to withdraw from fishing deal that allows foreign countries to fish in British waters

Background
The London Fisheries Convention is separate to the Common Fisheries Policy (CfP) of the European Union. The CfP allows all European countries access between 12 and 200 nautical miles of the UK and sets quotas for how much fish nations can catch.News sources reported on the 2 July 2017 that the United Kingdom intended to withdraw from the London Fisheries Convention, 1964. The convention allowed vessels from France, Belgium, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands to fish within six and 12 nautical miles of the UK's coastline, and gave reciprocal rights to UK fishing boats in the equivalent waters of the other signatories.

In a statement issued on the 2 July 2017 DEFRA said 'we will regain control of fishing access to our waters and become fully responsible for the management of fisheries so we can ensure a fair, sustainable and profitable industry for all our fishermen'.

The UK would announce its triggering of the 2 year mechanism to leave the Convention on the 3 July 2017.

• Primary Source

Politico, 10.05.17: Taking back control? Not unless you eat more fish http://www.politico.eu/article/taking-back-control-not-unless-you-eat-more-fish/

BBC News, 02.07.17: UK to withdraw from international fishing arrangement http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-40471466

Website: National Federation of Fishermen’s Organisations (NFFO) http://nffo.org.uk/

BBC News, 02.07.17: Scottish government says UK is right to leave fishing deal http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-40467090

Fishing for Leave: News, 20.02.17: Immediate Test of Brexit – London Convention 1964 http://ffl.org.uk/immediate-test-of-brexit-london-convention-1964/

The Guardian, 18.04.17: Denmark to contest UK efforts to 'take back control' of fisheries https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/apr/18/denmark-to-contest-uk-efforts-to-take-back-control-of-fisheries

UK: GOV.UK: FCO: International Treaties: Fisheries Convention with Protocol of Provisional Application and two Agreements as to Transitional Rights (London, 9/3/1964- 10/4/1964) https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/fisheries-convention-with-protocol-of-provisional-application-and-two-agreements-as-to-transitional-rights-london-931964-1041964

ESO: Background information: Brexit: fisheries (United Kingdom: House of Lords: Select Committee on the European Union: 8th Report (2016-17)HL78 http://www.europeansources.info/record/brexit-fisheries/

Politico, 02.07.17: Britain claims back full control over fishing rights http://www.politico.eu/article/britain-claims-back-full-control-over-fishing-rights/

UK: GOV.UK: DEFRA: Press Release, 02.07.17: UK takes key step towards fair new fishing policy after Brexit https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-takes-key-step-towards-fair-new-fishing-policy-after-brexit

The Guardian, 02.07.17: UK to 'take back control' of waters after exiting fishing convention https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jul/02/uk-take-back-control-london-fisheries-convention-michael-gove

Ireland: Ministry of Agriculture, Food and the Marine: Press Release, 02.07.17: Statement by the Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine, Michael Creed T. D. on today's announcement by the UK Government that it is withdrawing from the 1964 London Fisheries Convention https://www.agriculture.gov.ie/press/pressreleases/2017/july/title,109646,en.html

EurActiv, 03.07.17: Britain moves to ‘take back control’ over fishing in its waters http://www.euractiv.com/section/uk-europe/news/britain-moves-to-take-back-control-over-fishing-in-its-waters/

NFFO: News, 03.07.17: Laying the Foundations http://nffo.org.uk/news/laying-the-foundations.html

EUObserver, 03.07.17: UK leaves fishing convention amid Brexit talks https://euobserver.com/uk-referendum/138411

Open Europe, 03.07.17: Fishing might be one area where the Opposition won’t want to oppose Brexit http://openeurope.org.uk/today/blog/fishing-might-one-area-opposition-wont-want-oppose-brexit/

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