
1983 No. 253
SEA FISHERIESFISHERY LIMITS
The Fishing Boats (European Economic Community) Designation Order 1983
Made 25th February 1983
Laid before Parliament 8th March 1983
Coming into Operation 9th March 1983
The Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretaries of State
respectively concerned with sea fishing in Scotland, Northern Ireland and
Wales, in exercise of the powers conferred by section 2(1) of the Fishery Limits
Act 1976 and now vested in them  and of all other powers enabling them
in that behalf hereby make the following order:—
Title and commencement
1 
This order may be cited as the Fishing Boats (European Economic
Community) Designation Order 1983 and shall come into operation on 9th
March 1983.
Interpretation
2 

(1) 
 “the baselines” means the baselines from which the territorial sea adjacent
to the United Kingdom, the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man is measured
as prescribed by the Territorial Waters Order in Council 1964;
 “demersal fish” means all sea fish except salmon, migratory trout,
mackerel, clupeoid fish, sand eels, Norway pout, smelts, eels, great weevers,
crustaceans, and molluscs (other than squids);
(2) In this order all directions are related to the true compass.
Designation of countries, areas and descriptions of sea fish
3 
For the purposes of section 2(1) of the Fishery Limits Act 1976 the
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food and the Secretaries of State respectively concerned with sea fishing in Scotland, Northern Ireland and
Wales hereby designate:—
(a) all the countries specified in the first column of the Schedule to this order
and
(b) in relation to each country so specified, the areas and descriptions of sea
fish specified in the second and third columns respectively of the
Schedule as the areas within British fishery limits within which, and the
of sea fish for which, fishing boats registered in that country may fish.
Revocation
4 
The Fishing Boats (European Economic Community) Designation Order
1972 and the Fishing Boats (European Economic Community) Designation
Order 1976 are hereby revoked.
In Witness whereof the Official Seal of the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries
and Food is hereunto affixed on 22nd February 1983.
(L.S)Peter Walker,
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries
and Food.
George Younger,
Secretary of State for Scotland.
23rd February 1983.
James Prior,
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland.
24th February 1983.
Nicholas Edwards,
Secretary of State for Wales.
25th February 1983.
SCHEDULE 
AREAS IN WHICH, AND DESCRIPTIONS OF SEA FISH FOR WHICH, FISHING BOATS REGISTERED
IN DESIGNATED COUNTRIES MAY FISH
Article 3


Country  Areas  Descriptions
of sea fish
Belgium  1. Any part of British fishery limits outside 12 miles from the baselines.  All descriptions
of sea fish
2. Areas within 12 miles, but outside
6 miles, from the baselines
adjacent to the United Kingdom
and between:— 
(a) a line drawn due east from Berwick Breakwater Head 
lighthouse and

(b) a line drawn due east from
Coquet Island lighthouse Herring (Clupea
harengus)

(a) a line drawn due north from
Cromer lighthouse and 
(b) a line drawn due east from
North Foreland lighthouse Demersal fish


(a) a line drawn due east from
North Foreland lighthouse and 
(b) a line drawn due south from Dungeness New lighthouse Herring and
demersal fish


(a) a line drawn due south from
Dungeness New lighthouse and 
(b)  a line drawn due south from
Selsey Bill Demersal fish


(a) a line drawn south-east from
Straight Point lighthouse and 
(b)  a line drawn north-west from
South Bishop lighthouse Demersal fish

Denmark Any part of British fishery limits 
outside 12 miles from the baselines  All descriptions
of sea fish
France 1. Any part of British fishery limits outside 12 miles from the baselines  All descriptions
of sea fish
2.  Areas within 12 miles, but outside
6 miles, from the baselines adjacent
to the United Kingdom and between:—

(a) a line drawn due east from Berwick Breakwater Head
lighthouse and

(b) a line drawn due east from
Coquet Island lighthouse Herring

(a)  a line drawn due east from
Flamborough Head lighthouse and 
(b) a line drawn due east from
Spurn Head lighthouse Herring


(a) a line drawn due east from Lowestoft lighthouse and 
(b) longitude 2° 56’°W All
descriptions
of sea fish


(a) longitude 2° 56’W and
(b) a line drawn due south from Eddystone lighthouse Demersal fish


(a) a line drawn due south from Eddystone lighthouse
(b) a line drawn south west from Longships lighthouse Demersal fish,
lobster (Homarus
spp), crawfish
(Palinurus spp)
and scallops
(Pecten spp)

(a) a line drawn south west from Longships lighthouse and

(b) a line drawn north west from 
Hartland Point lighthouse Demersal fish,
lobster and crawfish
3. Such part of the area within
12 miles of the baselines adjacent
to Lundy Island, but outside 6 miles from all baselines, as lies to the
north and east of a line drawn north
west from Hartland Point lighthouse Demersal fish

4. Such part of the area within 12
miles, but outside 6 miles, from
the baselines adjacent to the
United Kingdom and between:—

(a)  a line drawn north west from Hartland Point lighthouse and 
(b)  a line drawn north west
 from Cemaes Head
as lies outside 12 miles from
the baselines adjacent to Lundy
Island All
descriptions
of sea fish
5. The area within 12 miles, but
outside 6 miles, from the
baselines adjacent to the
United Kingdom and between:— 

(a) a line drawn due north from Point Lynas lighthouse and

(b) latitude 53° 52’N All
descriptions
of sea fish

(a) a line drawn south east
from Haulbowline Rocks lighthouse and

(b) a line drawn north east
from Mew Island lighthouse Demersal fish


(a) a line drawn north east
from Mew Island lighthouse
(b) a line drawn south west of sea fish
from Sanda Island lighthouse All
descriptions
of sea fish

(a) a line drawn due north from
Portstewart Point 
and 
(b) a line drawn due west from Barra Head lighthouse All
descriptions
of sea fish
 6. Such part of the area within
12 miles, but outside 6 miles,
from the baselines adjacent to
the Isles of Harris and Lewis All
and between:— 

(a) latitude 57° 40’N and
(b) a line drawn due west 
 from the Butt of Lewis 

as lies outside 6 miles from
the baselines adjacent to the
Flannan Islands All
descriptions
of sea fish except shellfish
7.  The area within 12 miles, but outside 6 miles, from the baselines adjacent to the St Kilda Group All descriptions of sea fish

8. Such part of the area within
12 miles, but outside 6 miles,
from the baseline adjacent to the Flannan Islands as lies outside 12 miles from the baselines adjacent to the Isles
of Harris and Lewis All descriptions of sea fish

9. The area within 12 miles, but
outside 6 miles, from the
baselines adjacent to the
United Kingdom and between

(a) a line drawn due west from the Butt of Lewis lighthouse and
(b) a line joining the Butt
of Lewis lighthouse to
the point 59° 30’ N,
5° 45° W All
descriptions
 of sea fish

Federal Republic of Germany   1. Any part of British fishery limits outside 12 miles from the baselines All
descriptions
 of sea fish

2. Areas within 12 miles, but outside
6 miles, from the baselines adjacent
to the United Kingdom and between:—

(a) a line drawn due east from Berwick Breakwater Head
lighthouse and
(b) a line drawn due east from
Whitby High lighthouse Herring


(a)  a line drawn due east from
North Foreland lighthouse and 
(b) a line drawn due south from
Dungeness New lighthouse Herring

3. The area within 12 miles, but 
outside 6 miles, from the baselines adjacent to the St Kilda Group  Herring and mackerel
(Scomber
scombrus)
4. The area within 12 miles,
but outside 6 miles, from the 
baselines adjacent to the Islands
of Sulisker and North Rona Herring
5. The area within 12 miles, but outside
6 miles, from the baselines adjacent
to the Isle of Lewis and between:—

(a) a line drawn due west from
the Butt of Lewis lighthouse 
and
(b) a line joining the Butt of
Lewis lighthouse to the point
59°30’ N, 5°45’ W Herring
6. The area within 12 miles, but outside
6 miles, from the baselines adjacent
to Shetland and Fair Isle and
between:—

(a) a line drawn south-east from
Sumburgh Head lighthouse Herring
(Shetland)
(b) a line drawn north-east from
Skroo lighthouse (Fair Isle) and
(c) a line drawn south-west from
Skadan lighthouse (Fair Isle) Herring
Greece  Any part of British fishery limits outside 12 miles from the baselines All descriptions
 of sea fish
Republic of Ireland 1. Any part of British fishery limits outside 12 miles from the baselines All descriptions
 of sea fish
2. Such parts of the area within
12 miles, but outside 6 miles,
from the baselines adjacent to
Great Britain and between

(a) a line drawn due north
from Point Lynas
lighthouse and

(b) a line drawn due south from the Mull of Galloway lighthouse
as lie no nearer to the Isle 
of Man thana line every point
of which is equidistant from
the nearest points of, on the
one hand, the baselines adjacent
to Great Britain and, on the
other hand, the baselines
adjacent to the Isle of Man Demersal fish
and nephrops
(Nephrops norvegicus)
3. Such part of the area within 12
miles, but outside 6 miles, from the baselines adjacent to Northern Ireland as lies outside 6 miles from the baselines
adjacent to Scotland All descriptions
 of sea fish
4. The area within 12 miles, but
outside 6 miles, from the
baselines adjacent to Scotland and between 
(a) latitude 55° 35’ N
and

(b) a line drawn due west
from Barra Head lighthouse Demersal fish
and nephrops

Italy  Any part of British fishery limits outside 12 miles from the baselines  All descriptions
 of sea fish
Luxembourg Any part of British fishery limits outside 12 miles from the baselines  All descriptions
 of sea fish
Netherlands 1. Any part of British fishery limits outside 12 miles from the baselines  All descriptions
 of sea fish
2. Areas within 12 miles, but outside
6 miles, from the baselines
adjacent to the United Kingdom
and between:—
(a) a line drawn due east from Berwick Breakwater Head
lighthouse and

(b) a line drawn due east from
Flamborough Head lighthouse Herring

(a) a line drawn due east from
North Foreland lighthouse and 
(b) a line drawn due south from
Dungeness New lighthouse Herring

3 The area within 12 miles, but outside
6 miles, from the baselines adjacent
to Shetland and Fair Isle between:—

(a) a line drawn south-east from
Sumburgh Head lighthouse (Shetland)
(b) a line drawn north-east from
Skroo lighthouse (Fair Isle) and
(c) a line drawn south-west from
Skadan lighthouse (Fair Isle) Herring