ROYAL DANISH EMBASSY
J.nr. 55.Dan.1.
Note Verbale
The Royal Danish Embassy presents its compliments to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs
and has the honour, acting upon instructions, to inform the Ministry as follows:
On March 10, 1967, the Danish Government notified the Netherlands Government of the
entry into force, as from July 1, 1967, of a 12-mile fishing limit along the Danish
coasts in the North Sea, the Skagerrak and the Kattegat in pursuance of Act No. 195
of May 26, 1965 on Salt Water Fishing, inviting at the same time the Netherlands Government
to substantiate such fisheries as had habitually been exercised by Netherlands fishing
vessels in the above-mentioned Danish waters in accordance with the principles of
the European Fisheries Convention of March 9, 1964.
In the course of subsequent negotiations on November 23, 1967, it was understood between
a Danish and a Netherlands delegation that, pursuant to articles 3 and 4 of the European
Fisheries Convention, Netherlands traditional fisheries should be defined as fisheries
directed towards plaice and sole in the area between the Danish/German border in the
North Sea and the parallel of the latitude through Bovbjerg lighthouse.
It was further understood that, pursuant to article 9, section 1, of the Fisheries
Convention, the Netherlands traditional fisheries as described above should be allowed
to continue in the belt between 3 and 6 nautical miles from the base lines until July
1, 1968.
After that date the Netherlands traditional fisheries as described above should be
allowed to continue in the belt between 6 and 12 miles from the base lines.
The Danish Government accepts the above understandings.
If the foregoing is also acceptable to the Government of the Netherlands, the Embassy
has the honour to propose that the present note and the reply of the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs constitute an arrangement between the two Governments in this matter.
The Royal Danish Embassy avails itself of this opportunity to renew to the Ministry
of Foreign Affairs the assurances of its highest consideration.
The Hague, May 30, 1968.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
The Hague