History of the Royal Navy the GIUK gap. In the North Atlantic, the United Kingdom became engaged in a protracted dispute with Iceland over fishing rights. The Royal Navy, supported by tugs from the MAFF and British civilian trawlers, was involved in three major confrontations with the Icelandic Coast Guard from 1958 to 1976. These largely bloodless incidents became known as the Cod Wars, and ended with the recognition by Britain of Iceland's exclusive 200 nautical miles fishery zone. Chatham Naval Base was used for refitting nuclear submarines from 1963 but it closed in 1984. The most important operation conducted predominantly by the Royal Navy
Fishing industry in England Fishing industry in England The fishing industry in England covers the fish processing industry and fishing trawler companies that fish around England. Important English seafishing ports include: The fishing industry in England was once much larger than it is today. As a response to declining stocks Common Fisheries Policy imposed quotas on the amount of catch than can be brought ashore this prevented a collapse in the industry and Cod has since been reclassified as sustainable Updated statistics from the UK's Marine Management Organisation on the UK fishing sector show that UK vessels landed 724 thousand tonnes of sea fish