UK to 'take back control' of waters after exiting fishing convention

Michael Gove announces withdrawal from London fisheries convention and claims leaving EU fisheries policy will be good for environment

The government has announced its withdrawal from an arrangement that allows other countries to fish in British waters. The environment secretary, Michael Gove, claimed the UK was "taking back control".

On Monday 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. The convention allows vessels from the UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Ireland and the Netherlands to fish within six and 12 nautical miles of each other's coastlines.