The Fishery Protection Squadron is the oldest front line squadron in the Royal Navy. With a small headquarters staff based in Portsmouth Naval Base, the Squadron comprises 3 River Class Offshore Patrol Vessels in UK waters and one Offshore Patrol Vessel (Helicopter) stationed as the Falkland Isles Patrol Vessel. The primary task of the Royal Navy, in its role of patrolling UK's Extended Fisheries Zone, is its involvement in the highly emotive and politically sensitive UK and European fishing industry.
The Ministry of Defence maintains a formal agreement with DEFRA and through them the Marine and Fisheries Agency for the provision of Fishery Protection in English, Welsh and Northern Irish waters by the Royal Navy Fishery Protection Squadron. Legislation permits RN Officers to be British Sea Fisheries Officers (BSFO), to conduct inspections of all British and foreign registered fishing vessels operating within these waters and to also inspect British registered fishing vessels in international waters.
Operating from the River Class Offshore Patrol Vessels British Sea Fisheries Officers (BSFO) undertake routine inspections at sea of fishing vessels both by day and night. In the 2008/09 contract year, the Squadron provided 700 patrol days at sea and Royal Navy BSFOs conducted 1102 inspections. These detected 231 infringements of UK and EU fisheries legislation resulting in 8 fishing vessels being detained to a UK port for further investigation, 10 Financial Administrative Penalties (FAP) offered at sea, 33 written warnings and 144 verbal re-briefs being issued.