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The Overseas Patrol Squadron (known as the Fishery Protection Squadron until 2020) is a front-line squadron of the
Royal Navy The Royal Navy (RN) is the naval warfare force of the United Kingdom. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service, and its officers hold their commissions from the King of the United Kingdom, King. Although warships were used by Kingdom ...
with responsibility for patrolling the UK's Extended Fisheries Zone, both at home and around
British Overseas Territories The British Overseas Territories (BOTs) or alternatively referred to as the United Kingdom Overseas Territories (UKOTs) are the fourteen dependent territory, territories with a constitutional and historical link with the United Kingdom that, ...
. The squadron, with headquarters at
HMNB Portsmouth His Majesty's Naval Base, Portsmouth (HMNB Portsmouth) is one of three operating bases in the United Kingdom for the Royal Navy (the others being HMNB Clyde and HMNB Devonport). Portsmouth Naval Base is part of the city of Portsmouth; it is loc ...
, is equipped with eight of the s. The squadron is the oldest front-line squadron in the Royal Navy, and had
Admiral Lord Nelson Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronte ( – 21 October 1805) was a Royal Navy officer whose leadership, grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics brought about a number of decisive British naval victories during the French ...
amongst those who have served in it. Originally the squadron was based on the coast of North America, Iceland and the UK, patrolling much of the
North Atlantic The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the Age of Discovery, it was known for ...
against French and American incursions. Over the past hundred years transformed to follow a policing-oriented approach, dealing mainly with infringements by civilian fishermen. Despite this, it has maintained strong military role, as evidenced in its role in the
Cod War The Cod Wars (; also known as , ; ) were a series of 20th-century confrontations between the United Kingdom (with aid from West Germany) and Iceland about Exclusive economic zone, fishing rights in the North Atlantic. Each of the disputes ended ...
s of the 1960s–1970s. Vessels of the squadron fly the historic blue and yellow squared pennant of the Fishery Protection Squadron.


Current operations

Royal Navy officers assigned to the Fishery Protection Squadron have a secondary role as British Sea Fisheries officers. There is a formal contract between the
Ministry of Defence A ministry of defence or defense (see American and British English spelling differences#-ce.2C -se, spelling differences), also known as a department of defence or defense, is the part of a government responsible for matters of defence and Mi ...
, the
Marine Management Organisation The Marine Management Organisation (MMO) is an executive non-departmental public body in the United Kingdom established under the Marine and Coastal Access Act 2009, with responsibility for English waters. The MMO exists to make a significant cont ...
and DEFRA that allows the squadron to conduct inspections of all fishing vessels in all UK (excepting Scottish which fall under Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency) waters. Fishery Protection Squadron vessels can also stop British fishing vessels in international waters. In the 2008/09 contract year, the squadron spent 700 days at sea on patrol, conducting 1,102 inspections. From the inspections, 231 ships broke UK or EU law. As a result, 144 verbal warnings, 33 written warnings and 10 financial administrative penalties were handed out. The most serious breaches resulted in eight vessels being detained at UK ports. When a vessel is detained, the captain of the squadron ship contacts the Marine Management Organisation operation centre in
Newcastle Newcastle usually refers to: *Newcastle upon Tyne, a city and metropolitan borough in Tyne and Wear, England, United Kingdom *Newcastle-under-Lyme, a town in Staffordshire, England, United Kingdom *Newcastle, New South Wales, a metropolitan area ...
, which formulates a decision based on information provided to it by ships, aircraft, marine enforcement officers and fishermen, and then relays this decision back to the fishery protection ship. In 2008, 60% of all fish caught in the EU were caught within British jurisdiction. With as many as 500 fishing ships in British waters at any one time, including dozens from EU countries, it is regarded by many as a difficult task to patrol UK fishing grounds. There is also monthly rotating
aerial surveillance Surveillance aircraft are aircraft used for surveillance. They are primarily operated by military forces and government agencies in roles including intelligence gathering, maritime patrol, battlefield and airspace surveillance, observation (e.g ...
of the entire fishing area under call-sign "Watchdog", with aircraft provided by Direct Flight Aviation. Each aircraft transmits the identity and position of the vessel to squadron ships, which, combined with satellite data from navigational databases which allows the squadron to build a surface picture of fishing activity. Each day, data from the inspections is sent to fisheries managers. The managers form part of several agencies which co-ordinate on a super-national level to monitor the fish stocks, negotiates fishing agreements and plan conservation measures.


Conflict and boarding

Occasionally, a fishing trawler will foul another's nets, or the sensitive border areas in the middle of the English Channel will be the focus of a dispute between trawlers. These disputes can escalate to attempted rammings, disruption of each other's fishing, shining searchlights into bridges and even firing
flare gun A flare gun, also known as a Very pistol or signal pistol, is a large-bore handgun that discharges flares, blanks and smoke. The flare gun is typically used to produce a distress signal. Types The most common type of flare gun is a Very (s ...
s at other trawlers. In these circumstances ships of the squadron are required to separate the trawlers and act as an informal arbitrator in the dispute to prevent further conflict or injury. Their rules of engagement reflect this role. When a vessel is inspected, a boarding team from the FPS ship is sent. The team is formed of a Royal Navy and British Sea Fisheries-qualified officer, an assistant boarding officer, and a small security team. The officer sent could include the commanding officer, executive officer (XO) or first lieutenant, assisted by the gunnery officer, XO's assistant or operations officer. They work together to examine documentation, ensure the fishing gear (and landed fish) are of legal size, and liaise with the FPS and MMO via radio.


History

The Fishery Protection Squadron is the oldest squadron of the Royal Navy and can be traced back to 1481, although some sources, including the Royal Navy, date it to 1379. Even before an organised navy was established, the
herring Herring are various species of forage fish, belonging to the Order (biology), order Clupeiformes. Herring often move in large Shoaling and schooling, schools around fishing banks and near the coast, found particularly in shallow, temperate wate ...
fishermen in
Great Yarmouth Great Yarmouth ( ), often called Yarmouth, is a seaside resort, seaside town which gives its name to the wider Borough of Great Yarmouth in Norfolk, England; it straddles the River Yare and is located east of Norwich. Its fishing industry, m ...
fought skirmishes with foreign fishermen, who would be hanged as pirates from the gallows at Cross Sands if caught.


Early history

During the reign of
Edward IV Edward IV (28 April 1442 – 9 April 1483) was King of England from 4 March 1461 to 3 October 1470, then again from 11 April 1471 until his death in 1483. He was a central figure in the Wars of the Roses, a series of civil wars in England ...
and the
Wars of the Roses The Wars of the Roses, known at the time and in following centuries as the Civil Wars, were a series of armed confrontations, machinations, battles and campaigns fought over control of the English throne from 1455 to 1487. The conflict was fo ...
, English fishermen were beginning to fish in the waters around
Iceland Iceland is a Nordic countries, Nordic island country between the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic and Arctic Oceans, on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between North America and Europe. It is culturally and politically linked with Europe and is the regi ...
, and the King ordered that minimal protection be provided by and paid for by levies from the fishing industry.
Richard III Richard III (2 October 1452 – 22 August 1485) was King of England from 26 June 1483 until his death in 1485. He was the last king of the Plantagenet dynasty and its cadet branch the House of York. His defeat and death at the Battle of Boswor ...
and Henry VII continued this, but occasionally this protection was not enough: 1,200 English herring fishermen were killed in a single action by Flemish warships, and likewise the Scots often had difficulties with Dutch fishermen. Because of these and other incidents, by the 16th century it was clear that an organised force was required. A petition was put forward to the Lord High Admiral for a small
bark Bark may refer to: Common meanings * Bark (botany), an outer layer of a woody plant such as a tree or stick * Bark (sound), a vocalization of some animals (which is commonly the dog) Arts and entertainment * ''Bark'' (Jefferson Airplane album), ...
or two. As a result, the first Fishery Protection ship was commissioned for an annual fee to the Admiralty of £100, paid for by the fishermen of Yarmouth. It took the form of a wafting ship (''wafting'' meaning 'to convey safely' or 'to convoy'), which patrolled the
North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Se ...
fishing grounds during the herring season. This ship was eventually replaced in 1659 by a dedicated fishery protection ship for Yarmouth, with a crew of 25 and an armament of "swords, half-pikes, muskets and an ample supply of large stones". In the 18th century a similar arrangement was brokered by Scottish fishermen from
George III George III (George William Frederick; 4 June 173829 January 1820) was King of Great Britain and King of Ireland, Ireland from 25 October 1760 until his death in 1820. The Acts of Union 1800 unified Kingdom of Great Britain, Great Britain and ...
, also for an annual payment of £100. This amount is still paid today, although as a token gesture.
Samuel Pepys Samuel Pepys ( ; 23 February 1633 – 26 May 1703) was an English writer and Tories (British political party), Tory politician. He served as an official in the Navy Board and Member of Parliament (England), Member of Parliament, but is most r ...
was connected with Fishery Protection: he received an annual
honorarium An honorarium is an '' ex gratia'' payment, i.e., a payment made, without the giver recognizing themself as having any liability or legal obligation to the recipient for their volunteered services, or for services for which fees are not tradition ...
for efforts to gain similar protection on behalf of English fishermen. Before becoming famous,
Lord Nelson Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronte ( – 21 October 1805) was a Royal Navy officer whose leadership, grasp of strategy and unconventional tactics brought about a number of decisive British naval victories during the French ...
captained in 1781 as part of the Fishery Protection Squadron in North America, capturing the U.S. fishing
schooner A schooner ( ) is a type of sailing ship, sailing vessel defined by its Rig (sailing), rig: fore-and-aft rigged on all of two or more Mast (sailing), masts and, in the case of a two-masted schooner, the foremast generally being shorter than t ...
''Harmony'' off the coast of
Cape Cod Cape Cod is a peninsula extending into the Atlantic Ocean from the southeastern corner of Massachusetts, in the northeastern United States. Its historic, maritime character and ample beaches attract heavy tourism during the summer months. The ...
. He took it in tow, with the master of the schooner acting as pilot for both ships for the unfamiliar shores around
Boston Harbor Boston Harbor is a natural harbor and estuary of Massachusetts Bay, located adjacent to Boston, Massachusetts. It is home to the Port of Boston, a major shipping facility in the Northeastern United States. History 17th century Since its dis ...
. Once the ships were safe, he allowed the schooner to continue unimpeded, saying to the master, "You have rendered us a very essential service, and it is not the custom of English seamen to be ungrateful. In the name, therefore, and with the approbation of the officers of this ship, I return your schooner and with it this certificate of your good conduct. Farewell, and may God bless you." The certificate of good conduct protected the schooner from capture by a British ship. In return, the master gave a present to Nelson of "four sheep, some poultry, and a quantity of vegetables", which Nelson ordered to be shared amongst the sick. Even today, on Trafalgar Day, the
flag officer A flag officer is a commissioned officer in a nation's armed forces senior enough to be entitled to fly a flag to mark the position from which that officer exercises command. Different countries use the term "flag officer" in different ways: * ...
shaves with the same
cut-throat razor A straight razor is a razor with a blade that can fold into its handle. They are also called open razors and cut-throat razors. The predecessors of the modern straight razors include bronze razors, with cutting edges and fixed handles, produced ...
used by Nelson while he commanded ''Albemarle''.


19th century

With historical rivalries between the U.S. and Britain in North America, the fishery protection squadron in
Newfoundland Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada, in the country's Atlantic region. The province comprises the island of Newfoundland and the continental region of Labrador, having a total size of . As of 2025 the population ...
and the surrounding area was seen as very important. At the time, the British hugely outnumbered the Americans in terms of fishery protection vessels, with 226 guns to 31 respectively. On 5 August 1853, contingents of the U.S. and British fishery protection squadrons for the area met at
Halifax, Nova Scotia Halifax is the capital and most populous municipality of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the most populous municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of 2024, it is estimated that the population of the H ...
for a goodwill visit. The steamer , carrying Commodore Shubrick and his flag, arrived under dense fog and heavy rain at 8:00 pm. ''Princeton'' saluted the
citadel A citadel is the most fortified area of a town or city. It may be a castle, fortress, or fortified center. The term is a diminutive of ''city'', meaning "little city", because it is a smaller part of the city of which it is the defensive core. ...
, and fired a 15-gun salute "for the red cross of St. George", which was displayed by Vice Admiral Sir George Seymour on . There was a minor problem when Commodore Shubrick received with a 13-gun salute; he returned the salute to the vice admiral with an equal number of guns, rather than the 15 that the vice admiral was traditionally entitled to. He believed that "a commander in chief is a commander in chief", whatever his rank. The rest of the event went without any problems, as did a similar event held at Berkeley Springs,
Virginia Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern and Mid-Atlantic (United States), Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States between the East Coast of the United States ...
. At the end of May 1898, and arrived at St. John's from Halifax, Nova Scotia, to form part of the fishery protection squadron for the French treaty coast. They were sighted off Trepassey by the Americans, who reported on their arrival in the
New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''NYT'') is an American daily newspaper based in New York City. ''The New York Times'' covers domestic, national, and international news, and publishes opinion pieces, investigative reports, and reviews. As one of ...
. With these new arrivals and others, by the end of 1898 the entire squadron had been rebuilt with powerful, modern cruisers replacing the outdated corvettes previously seen. The squadron was rebuilt in part because of the threat of an oversized French armoured cruiser sent to the area the previous year, which was seen as a threat despite being too large to enter most of the local harbours. Two smaller ships were also sent by the French to replace local wooden transport vessels, and in Autumn a French squadron gathered at
Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Pierre and Miquelon ( ), officially the Territorial Collectivity of Saint Pierre and Miquelon (), is a self-governing territorial overseas collectivity of France in the northwestern Atlantic Ocean, located near the Canada, Canadian prov ...
, forcing the British government to respond by sending two extra ships to
Sydney, Nova Scotia Sydney is a former city and urban community on the east coast of Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada within the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. Sydney was founded in 1785 by the British, was incorporated as a city in 1904, and dissolv ...
, only 18 hours steaming from St Pierre. For two weeks near the end of the year, a small scale war seemed likely, but was averted after diplomatic talks.


French Shore

By 1900, the situation had escalated. The key issue was the
French Shore The French Shore (French language, French: ''Côte française de Terre-Neuve''), also called The Treaty Shore, resulted from the 1713 ratifications of the Treaty of Utrecht. The provisions of the treaty allowed the French to fish in season along t ...
, resulting from the
Peace of Utrecht The Peace of Utrecht was a series of peace treaty, peace treaties signed by the belligerents in the War of the Spanish Succession, in the Dutch city of Utrecht between April 1713 and February 1715. The war involved three contenders for the vac ...
. The treaty allowed the French to fish along the Newfoundland coast between Cape St. John and
Cape Ray Cape Ray is a headland located at the southwestern extremity of the island of Newfoundland in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It is the site of the Cape Ray Lighthouse. It is located opposite Cape North on Cape Breton Island ...
, however it made no claims about whether this was an exclusive right. As a result, the two nations roughly shared the fishing grounds under an unstable joint sovereignty understanding, but the respective fishery captains were given what were described by the local press as "autocratic powers". These powers were given to the captains by the Newfoundland government, granted via yearly act of the Newfoundland Legislature. In 1900, the bill was rejected in an attempt to force the British to act over what was seen as an encroaching and overbearing French presence. The British prepared to defend the area against the three French warships sent to the area each year. Colonel T Henry McCallum was appointed as governor of the colony. McCallum had already built a reputation for organising the defence of colonies, having previously fortified
Singapore Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
and
Hong Kong Hong Kong)., Legally Hong Kong, China in international treaties and organizations. is a special administrative region of China. With 7.5 million residents in a territory, Hong Kong is the fourth most densely populated region in the wor ...
. Fifty men were taken aboard as part of a local naval reserve force, with the hope of expanding the force to as many as 1,000 within a few years. There were also plans to turn St. John's into a naval fortress, akin to that of
Halifax, Nova Scotia Halifax is the capital and most populous municipality of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Nova Scotia, and the most populous municipality in Atlantic Canada. As of 2024, it is estimated that the population of the H ...
.


''

Profumo affair The Profumo affair was a major scandal in British politics during the early 1960s. John Profumo, the 46-year-old Secretary of State for War in Harold Macmillan's Conservative government, had an extramarital affair with the 19-year-old model ...
''

A major political scandal in the United Kingdom happened during the early 1960s. The scandal involved John Profumo, the Secretary of State for War, who had an extramarital affair with Christine Keeler, a 19-year-old model. The affair became a significant issue because Keeler was also involved with a Soviet naval attaché, raising concerns about national security. Lord Astor, specifically William Astor, 3rd Viscount Astor, was implicated in the scandal because Keeler and her friend Mandy Rice-Davies often stayed at his estate, Cliveden. During the trial, Rice-Davies famously responded to Astor's denial of an affair with her by saying, "Well he would, wouldn't he?". This remark became iconic and highlighted the scandal's mix of politics, sex, and espionage. The Profumo affair severely damaged the credibility of the British government at the time and contributed to the resignation of Prime Minister Harold Macmillan.


1950s

—from the Scottish region of the Fishery Protection Squadron—was sent to
Lossiemouth Lossiemouth () is a town in Moray, Scotland. Originally the port belonging to Elgin, Moray, Elgin, it became an important fishing town. Although there has been over 1,000 years of settlement in the area, the present day town was formed over the ...
on 1 June 1953, to act as reviewing ship for a "Coronation fleet review" involving about 70 fishing vessels from the ports of
Hopeman Hopeman (, ) is a seaside village in Moray, Scotland, it is situated on the coast of the Moray Firth, founded in 1805 to house and re-employ people displaced during the Highland clearances. According to the 2011 census, Hopeman has a populati ...
,
Burghead Burghead ( or ''The Broch'', ) is a small town in Moray, Scotland, about north-west of Elgin, Moray, Elgin. The town is mainly built on a peninsula that projects north-westward into the Moray Firth, surrounding it by water on three sides. Peopl ...
and
Nairn Nairn (; ) is a town and former royal burgh in the Highland (council area), Highland Council council areas of Scotland, area of Scotland. It is an ancient fishing port and market town around east of Inverness, at the point where the River Nair ...
, as well as Lossiemouth proper. A
Fleet Air Arm The Fleet Air Arm (FAA) is the naval aviation component of the United Kingdom's Royal Navy (RN). The FAA is one of five :Fighting Arms of the Royal Navy, RN fighting arms. it is a primarily helicopter force, though also operating the Lockhee ...
helicopter gave a demonstration of air-sea rescue operations as part of the display. On 17 April 1957, the
Glasgow Herald ''The Herald'' is a Scottish broadsheet newspaper founded in 1783. ''The Herald'' is the longest running national newspaper in the world and is the eighth oldest daily paper in the world. The title was simplified from ''The Glasgow Herald'' in ...
reported that several
East Anglia East Anglia is an area of the East of England, often defined as including the counties of Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire, with parts of Essex sometimes also included. The name derives from the Anglo-Saxon kingdom of the East Angles, ...
n herring drifters (based at
Aberdeen Aberdeen ( ; ; ) is a port city in North East Scotland, and is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, third most populous Cities of Scotland, Scottish city. Historically, Aberdeen was within the historic county of Aberdeensh ...
) were encountering trouble with
Russia Russia, or the Russian Federation, is a country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia. It is the list of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the world, and extends across Time in Russia, eleven time zones, sharing Borders ...
n fisherman, who were intentionally fouling the nets of the British in the fishing grounds 40 miles off the coast of
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...
. The ''Ocean Starlight'' (Yarmouth) lost 50 nets, the ''George Spashett'' (Lowestoft) lost 42, and the ''Ocean Sunlight'' (Lowestoft) lost 14. The skippers lodged complaints with the Fishery Board Officer at Aberdeen, and it was considered "possible that a fishery protection vessel may be sent". About a year later, in April 1958, was sent to the northern fisheries to protect British trawlers against Russian incursions, and , a fishery protection vessel, was officially handed over to the Burmese Navy to become a minesweeper and training vessel. The handover ceremony took place at the
Pool of London The Pool of London is a stretch of the River Thames from London Bridge to below Limehouse. Part of the Tideway of the Thames, the Pool was navigable by tall-masted vessels bringing coastal and later overseas goods—the wharves there were t ...
, and was presided over by the Burmese ambassador and Earl Mountbatten.


First Cod War

The Fishery Protection Squadron played a key part in the Cod Wars of the 1950s through the 1970s. During the first war, known by the Royal Navy as Operation Whippet, two extra frigates and two minesweepers were sent to the squadron on 16 August 1958 to augment the defence against Iceland's unilateral tripling of its
territorial waters Territorial waters are informally an area of water where a sovereign state has jurisdiction, including internal waters, the territorial sea, the contiguous zone, the exclusive economic zone, and potentially the extended continental shelf ( ...
. Other countries, such as
West Germany West Germany was the common English name for the Federal Republic of Germany (FRG) from its formation on 23 May 1949 until German reunification, its reunification with East Germany on 3 October 1990. It is sometimes known as the Bonn Republi ...
, Holland and France intervened in the conflict. The squadron's task was to protect British trawlers from attacks by Icelandic trawlers and coast guard vessels. By 25 August, over 100 trawlers were on their way to fish in the area, protected by four armed ships from the Fishery Protection Squadron. All trawlers carrying children were warned to move out of the conflict area. —a from the 3rd Training Squadron commanded by Lieutenant Commander R C Mayne—was transferred to fishery protection duties. It left Chatham on August 27, 1958, to keep the squadron at full strength after it had been depleted by other vessels being withdrawn for refits. Unfortunately, one day after leaving, she was forced to drop anchor off
Sheerness Sheerness () is a port town and civil parish beside the mouth of the River Medway on the north-west corner of the Isle of Sheppey in north Kent, England. With a population of 13,249, it is the second largest town on the island after the nearby ...
after salt water was found in her boilers. Hostilities began on 4 September, four days after the extension came into effect. reported that the Icelandic gunboat ''Aegir'' had attempted to ram her while she was escorting British trawlers in the disputed area. Two reports were received from the ship during the evening. The first, at 19:00 BST read, "Four gunboats in the area and plainly up to something. While covering trawlers from ''Aegir'' she plainly tried to ram me." The second, at 20:30 BST, read, "Russell had drawn abreast ''Aegir''s starboard side and was steaming at 12 knots on the same course at a distance of 200ft. Intention was to shield trawlers from ''Aegir''... ''Aegir'' sounded one short blast ignifying an intention to turn to starboardand put wheel over. Her wake showed considerable wheel used. I had to use 20 degrees to get clear. ''Aegir'' passed close astern." The Admiralty announced that the destroyer had sailed to the area to replace , which had to return to the UK because of problems with her radar. The trawler '' Northern Foam'', from
Grimsby Grimsby or Great Grimsby is a port town in Lincolnshire, England with a population of 86,138 (as of 2021). It is located near the mouth on the south bank of the Humber that flows to the North Sea. Grimsby adjoins the town of Cleethorpes dir ...
, had a boarding party of nine Icelandic officers and crew taken off her on 2 September. Before the trawler was boarded by Icelandic forces, an officer read out the punishments by megaphone to the crew. On the 16th, an attempt by ICGV ''Thor'' to board the trawler '' Red Lancer'' resulted in the '' Arctic Explorer''—temporarily under the command of a Royal Navy Commodore who was visiting the ship at the time—coming to ''Red Lancer''s assistance. ''Explorer'' was flanked by ''Lagos'' and , two destroyers, and forced the boarding party from ''Thor'' to retreat. ''Explorer'' was presented with the Commodore's pennant as a memento of the incident. In another incident, on 7 October, naval surgeons managed to amputate six fingers from an injured fisherman from the trawler ''Loch Inver''. The operation was performed aboard , in the officer's mess, as Iceland had forbidden sick and injured men to be landed at Icelandic ports. By the end of the first war, the squadron was recorded to have given assistance on 360 occasions. After the war, there was some experimentation with hovercraft, which were planned to be armed with several machine guns and capable of . Four hovercraft—with a crew of 18 each—would have been able to take on the duties of six minesweepers, each with a crew of 35. Because of the limited range and poor sea-keeping qualities of hovercraft, however, these plans were quickly abandoned in favour of regular craft.


1960s

In 1967, the Fishery Protection Squadron consisted of three divisions: *First or Arctic Division **Four Type 14 frigates: , , and . This division was responsible for patrolling northern
Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the archipelago of Svalbard also form part of the Kingdom of ...
, the Faeroes,
Greenland Greenland is an autonomous territory in the Danish Realm, Kingdom of Denmark. It is by far the largest geographically of three constituent parts of the kingdom; the other two are metropolitan Denmark and the Faroe Islands. Citizens of Greenlan ...
, the
White Sea The White Sea (; Karelian language, Karelian and ; ) is a southern inlet of the Barents Sea located on the northwest coast of Russia. It is surrounded by Karelia to the west, the Kola Peninsula to the north, and the Kanin Peninsula to the nort ...
and the
Barents Sea The Barents Sea ( , also ; , ; ) is a marginal sea of the Arctic Ocean, located off the northern coasts of Norway and Russia and divided between Norwegian and Russian territorial waters.World Wildlife Fund, 2008. It was known earlier among Russi ...
. *Second or Home Division **Consisting of four coastal minesweepers, this division patrolled the
North Sea The North Sea lies between Great Britain, Denmark, Norway, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, and France. A sea on the European continental shelf, it connects to the Atlantic Ocean through the English Channel in the south and the Norwegian Se ...
,
Irish Sea The Irish Sea is a body of water that separates the islands of Ireland and Great Britain. It is linked to the Celtic Sea in the south by St George's Channel and to the Inner Seas off the West Coast of Scotland in the north by the North Ch ...
and Scottish coastal waters. *Third or Channel Division **The smallest division, consisting of converted inshore minesweepers HMS ''Squirrel'' and HMS ''Watchful''. It patrolled the
English Channel The English Channel, also known as the Channel, is an arm of the Atlantic Ocean that separates Southern England from northern France. It links to the southern part of the North Sea by the Strait of Dover at its northeastern end. It is the busi ...
, arresting poachers and illegal fishing ships from
France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...
and
Belgium Belgium, officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a country in Northwestern Europe. Situated in a coastal lowland region known as the Low Countries, it is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeas ...
.


1970s and the second and third Cod Wars

On 1 September 1972, Iceland again expanded her maritime
exclusive economic zone An exclusive economic zone (EEZ), as prescribed by the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, is an area of the sea in which a sovereign state has exclusive rights regarding the exploration and use of marine natural resource, reso ...
, this time to . This provoked another dispute, eventually escalating to further armed conflict between the UK and Iceland. Iceland's expansion was recognised by fishermen from all nations except two: the UK, and Germany, who still fished up to from the Icelandic coast. German trawlers, however, tended to be more interested in saithe and ocean perch rather than
cod Cod (: cod) is the common name for the demersal fish genus ''Gadus'', belonging to the family (biology), family Gadidae. Cod is also used as part of the common name for a number of other fish species, and one species that belongs to genus ''Gad ...
,
haddock The haddock (''Melanogrammus aeglefinus'') is a saltwater ray-finned fish from the Family (biology), family Gadidae, the true cods. It is the only species in the Monotypy, monotypic genus ''Melanogrammus''. It is found in the North Atlantic Oce ...
and
flatfish A flatfish is a member of the Ray-finned fish, ray-finned demersal fish Order (biology), suborder Pleuronectoidei, also called the Heterosomata. In many species, both eyes lie on one side of the head, one or the other migrating through or around ...
; because of this, they tended to stick to oceanic, rather than coastal waters. As the dispute escalated, British trawler captains began to cover their names and registration numbers to avoid action from Icelandic courts; as an additional, and somewhat less effective measure some hoisted the
Jolly Roger Jolly Roger was the England, ensign flown by a piracy, pirate ship preceding or during an attack, during the early 18th century (the latter part of the Golden Age of Piracy). The vast majority of such flags flew the motif of a human skull, or � ...
in addition to the
Union Jack The Union Jack or Union Flag is the ''de facto'' national flag of the United Kingdom. The Union Jack was also used as the official flag of several British colonies and dominions before they adopted their own national flags. It is sometimes a ...
. The Icelandic Coastguard viewed this as a violation of international law, and took many photographs of the trawlers displaying these signs; including a picture taken on 5 September 1972 of a ship believed to be the trawler '' Peter Scott (H103)''. The Icelandic strategy involved the use of net-cutters, invented by Commander Péter Sigurǒsson, Director of the Coast Guard, with assistance from Friŏrik Teitsson from the Icelandic lighthouse institution and Tómas Sigurǒsson, who were both ironmongers. The invention—tested in 1958—was known as the trawlwire cutter; it was not used until 5 September 1972, after every Icelandic ship had been equipped with it. The ships would take a two-step approach: #They would inform the trawler of their violation of Icelandic law, and request them to move outside the 50-mile limit. #If this yielded no results, they would lower the cutter into the water, and attempt to cut the nets—worth several thousand pounds—by sailing past the stern of the trawler at right angles. As previously mentioned, the ''
Ægir Ægir (anglicised as Aegir; Old Norse 'sea'), Hlér (Old Norse 'sea'), or Gymir (Old Norse less clearly 'sea, engulfer'), is a jötunn and a anthropomorphism, personification of the sea in Norse mythology. In the Old Norse record, Ægir hosts the ...
'' carried out the first successful cutting on 5 September in an action against a trawler believed to be the ''Peter Scott'', sailing under a pirate flag and a Union Jack, with its registration number and name covered. Throughout 1972, 10 trawlers had their nets cut: nine British, and one West German. For the year of 1973, this had expanded to 60 British and 14 West German trawlers; a loss of hundreds of thousands of pounds worth of nets. A British response was inevitable given the anger of the trawler captains at the time. The captains believed that they were well within their rights to fish on what they understood to be the
high seas The terms international waters or transboundary waters apply where any of the following types of bodies of water (or their drainage basins) transcend international boundaries: oceans, large marine ecosystems, enclosed or semi-enclosed regiona ...
, an assumption they interpreted from the 'interim measures of protection' issued by the
International Court of Justice The International Court of Justice (ICJ; , CIJ), or colloquially the World Court, is the only international court that Adjudication, adjudicates general disputes between nations, and gives advisory opinions on International law, internation ...
on 17 August 1972. As such, and in line with the ICJ's ruling, the British government endeavoured to protect British trawlers up to the 12-mile limit, provided that the total catch did not exceed . British trawler captains, eager to protect their nets, tried several tactics: #Ramming of ICG vessels by trawlers. Although technically illegal under maritime law, the trawler ''Aldershot'' rammed the ''Ægir'' on 18 October 1972, north of Hraunhafnartangi. ''Brucella'' also tried ramming—on 28 December 1972—in an action against the ''Óǒinn'' to the east of Iceland. #Using two trawlers to operate one trawl net. Both trawlers would sail in
line astern The line of battle or the battle line is a Naval tactics, tactic in naval warfare in which a fleet of ships (known as Ship of the line, ships of the line) forms a line end to end. The first example of its use as a tactic is disputed—it has ...
formation; the first would fish while the second would attempt to fend off Icelandic vessels. Unfortunately, this not only cut the number of vessels engaged in fishing in half: it was also ineffective against Icelandic vessels, as the high standard of seamanship required to steer a heavy, unwieldy trawler in tight formation in rough Atlantic seas was simply too much for a civilian fisherman. #The British government rented four tugs; ''Englishman'', ''Irishman'', ''Lloydsman'' and ''Statesman''. These tugs were sent out with orders to protect the trawlers in the disputed area, but as the tugs were unarmed, both intentional and unintentional collisions were the only way to defend the trawlers. However, this method cost the British taxpayer a substantial amount in rent and fuel costs, and did not have the desired effect. Because of the failure of all the above tactics, British trawlers withdrew from Icelandic waters on 17 May 1973, citing fears for their own safety and livelihoods. They informed the British government that unless the Royal Navy were sent to protect them, they would not return to fishing in that area. Two days later, on 19 May, the government acquiesced, and a number of British frigates sailed north.


Fishery Protection Squadron intervention

After 19 May, three or four British frigates, four tugs, and as many as five
Royal Fleet Auxiliary The Royal Fleet Auxiliary (RFA) is a naval auxiliary fleet owned by the UK's Ministry of Defence. It is a component of His Majesty's Naval Service and provides logistical and operational support to the Royal Navy and Royal Marines. The RF ...
vessels were in the disputed area to protect an average of 46 trawlers from Icelandic harassment. In order to keep some on station at all times, seven frigates were taken from ordinary duties to be assigned to the squadron. In addition, several
Nimrod Nimrod is a Hebrew Bible, biblical figure mentioned in the Book of Genesis and Books of Chronicles, the Books of Chronicles. The son of Cush (Bible), Cush and therefore the great-grandson of Noah, Nimrod was described as a king in the land of Sh ...
maritime patrol aircraft were sent to the area, and the total manpower assigned was in the region of 2,000 personnel. The strategy used by the British was relatively straightforward: they marked out "fishing boxes" for use by trawlers, protected by high-speed frigates at the outer edges, and with the slower tugs ready to see off any attempts by the ICG to intervene inside the boxes. When an ICG vessel was sighted, the frigates would sail towards it and place themselves between the trawlers and the ICG vessel, sailing parallel at close range. Occasionally, because of the close manoeuvring and heavy seas, one ship would find itself across the path of another. This led to accusations of ramming between the two countries, but accounts from each side differ as to who rammed who; the British maintain that the Icelandic vessels turned and rammed them using their strengthened bows, whereas Iceland maintain that the British ships turned across their bows and immediately slowed down. Altogether, 14 'rammings' were recorded by the ICG between October 1972 and September 1973.


Administration


Captain of Fishery Protection and Minesweeping Flotilla

Post holders have included: * Captain Edward R. G. R. Evans, January 1923 – August 1925 * Captain (I) Gerald C. Dickens, August 1925 – September 1926 * Captain Malcolm L. Goldsmith, January 1929 – July 1930 * Captain Benjamin W. Barrow, July 1930 – 15 July 1932 * Captain John S. G. Fraser, July 1934 – August 1935 * Captain Victor A. C. Crutchley, May 1936 – April 1937 * Captain Ernest R. Archer, April 1937 – June 1939 * Captain E. L. Aylmer, August 1939 - 1945


Captain, Fishery Protection Squadron

Post holders included: * Captain Anthony H. Thorold: January 1949-1950 * Captain Basil Jones: December 1951-June 1953 * Captain Frank R. Twiss: June 1953-November 1954 * Captain Alastair D. Robin: November 1954-November 1956 * Captain Edward A.S. Bailey: November 1956-November 1957 * Captain Barry J. Anderson: November 1957-July 1959 * Captain Hugo H. Bracken: July 1959-March 1961 * Captain George C. Leslie: March 1961-November 1962 * Captain Richard J. Trowbridge: November 1962-May 1964 * Captain Frank W. Watson: May 1964-July 1965 * Captain William I. Campbell: July 1965-June 1966 * Captain J. Roger S. Gerard-Pearse: June 1966-July 1968 * Captain D.G. Cooper: July 1968-June 1969 * Captain Thomas H.E. Baird: June 1969-August 1971 * Captain Geoffrey R.T. Duffay: August 1971-December 1973 * Captain John T. Tomlinson: December 1973-April 1975 * Captain Michael H. Livesay: April 1975-December 1976 * Captain Peter G.V. Dingemans: December 1976-October 1978 * Captain the Hon. Nicholas J. Hill-Norton: October 1978-July 1980 * Captain John F.S. Trinder: July 1980-October 1982 * Captain Peter G.J. Murison: October 1982-September 1984 * Captain Nicholas J. Barker: September 1984-1986 * Captain James S. Chestnutt: 1986-March 1988 * Captain Roy Harding: March 1988-?


Commander Fishery Protection Squadron

Post holders include: * Commander Graham Lovatt 2013 * Lieutenant Commander James Reynolds, 2016–2017 * Commander Sarah Oakley 2017–2019 * Commander Simon Pressdee 2019–2020


Commander Overseas Patrol Squadron

* Commander Simon Pressdee 2020–


See also

*
Hired armed vessels During the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries the Royal Navy used a considerable number of hired armed vessels. These were generally smaller vessels, often cutters and luggers, that the Navy used for duties ranging from carrying and passeng ...
(Royal Navy) *
Naval trawler Naval trawlers are vessels built along the lines of a fishing trawler but fitted out for naval purposes; they were widely used during the World War I, First and World War II, Second World Wars. Some, known in the Royal Navy as "Admiralty trawlers ...
*
Q-ship Q-ships, also known as Q-boats, decoy vessels, special service ships, or mystery ships, were heavily armed merchantman, armed merchant ships with concealed weaponry, designed to lure submarines into making surface attacks. This gave Q-ships the c ...
*
Royal Naval Reserve The Royal Naval Reserve (RNR) is one of the two volunteer reserve forces of the Royal Navy in the United Kingdom. Together with the Royal Marines Reserve, they form the Maritime Reserve. The present RNR was formed by merging the original ...
* Auxiliary Patrol * Royal Naval Patrol Service * Icelandic Coast Guard


References


External links


Fishery Protection Squadron Royal Navy
{{fishing history History of fishing Royal Navy squadrons Fisheries protection Fishing in the United Kingdom