Fisheries Jurisdiction (United Kingdom v. Iceland)

OVERVIEW OF THE CASE

On 14 April and 5 June 1972, respectively, the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic of Germany instituted proceedings against Iceland concerning a dispute over the proposed extension by Iceland, as from 1 September 1972, of the limits of its exclusive fisheries jurisdiction from a distance of 12 to a distance of 50 nautical miles. Iceland declared that the Court lacked jurisdiction, and declined to be represented in the proceedings or file pleadings. At the request of the United Kingdom and the Federal Republic, the Court in 1972 indicated, and in 1973 confirmed, provisional measures to the effect that Iceland should refrain from implementing, with respect to their vessels, the new regulations regarding the extension of the zone of its exclusive fishing rights, and that the annual catch of those vessels in the disputed area should be limited to certain maxima. In Judgments delivered on 2 February 1973, the Court found that it possessed jurisdiction ; and in Judgments on the merits of 25 July 1974, it found that the Icelandic regulations. constituting a unilateral extension of exclusive fishing rights to a limit of 50 nautical miles were not opposable to either the United Kingdom or the Federal Republic, that Iceland was not entitled unilaterally to exclude their fishing vessels from the disputed area, and that the Parties were under mutual obligations to undertake negotiations in good faith for the equitable solution of their differences.


This overview is provided for information only and in no way involves the responsibility of the Court.

Institution of proceedings


Written proceedings

13 October 1972
Procedure(s):Questions of jurisdiction and/or admissibility
Available in:

Oral proceedings

Verbatim record 1972 (bilingual version)
Oral arguments on Request for the Indication of Interim Measures of protection, Minutes of the public sittings held at the Peace Palace, The Hague, on 1 and 17 August 1972, President Sir Muhammad Zafrulla Khan presiding
Procedure(s):Provisional measures
Available in:
Verbatim record 1973 (bilingual version)
Oral Arguments on Jurisdiction of the Court - Minutes of the Public Sittings held at the Peace Palace, The Hague, on 5 January and 2 February 1973, President Sir Muhammad Zaffrulla Khan, presiding
Procedure(s):Questions of jurisdiction and/or admissibility
Available in:
Verbatim record 1974 (bilingual version)
Oral Arguments on the Merits of the dispute submitted by the Government of Great Britain and Northern Ireland - Minutes of the Public Sittings held at the Peace Palace, The Hague, on 25 and 29 March and 25 July 1974, President Lachs, presiding
Available in:

Other documents


Orders

Fixing of time-limits: Memorial and Counter-Memorial
Available in:

Judgments


Summaries of Judgments and Orders

Summary of the Order of 17 August 1972
Available in:
Summary of the Judgment of 2 February 1973
Available in:
Summary of the Order of 12 July 1973
Available in:
Summary of the Judgment of 25 July 1974
Available in:

Press releases

Press release 1972/10 (French version only)
20 July 1972
Compétence en matière de pêcheries (Royaume-Uni c. Islande) - Le Royaume-Uni demande des mesures conservatoires (French version only)
Available in:
Press release 1972/12 (French version only)
31 July 1972
Compétence en matière de pêcheries - Composition des délégations (French version only)
Available in:
Press release 1972/13 (French version only)
4 August 1972
Compétence en matière de pêcheries - Audiences du 1er et 2 août 1972 (French version only)
Available in:
Press release 1972/14 (French version only)
11 August 1972
Compétence en matière de pêcheries - L'arrêt sera rendu le 17 août 1972 (French version only)
Available in:
Press release 1972/16 (French version only)
17 August 1972
La Cour internationale de Justice indique des mesures conservatoires dans les affaires de la Compétence en matière de pêcheries (French version only)
Available in:
Press release 1972/18 (French version only)
22 August 1972
Compétence en matière de pêcheries - Ordonnances du 18 août 1972 (French version only)
Available in:
Press release 1972/20 (French version only)
9 December 1972
Compétence en matière de pêcheries - Les audiences en vue d'entendre les plaidoiries sur la question de la compétence de la Cour auront lieu les 5 et 8 janvier 1973 (French version only)
Available in:
Press release 1973/1 (French version only)
4 January 1973
Compétence en matière de pêcheries - Composition des délégations (French version only)
Available in:
Press release 1973/2 (French version only)
9 January 1973
Compétence en matière de pêcheries - Audiences du 5 et 8 janvier 1973 (French version only)
Available in:
Press release 1973/3 (French version only)
30 January 1973
Compétence en matière de pêcheries (Royaume-Uni c. Islande) (République fédérale d'Allemagne c. Islande) - Les arrêts sur la compétence seront rendus le 2 février 1973 à 10 heures (French version only)
Available in:
Press release 1973/4 (French version only)
2 February 1973
La Cour internationale de Justice se déclare compétente dans l'affaire de la Compétence en matière de pêcheries (Royaume-Uni c. Islande) (French version only)
Available in:
Press release 1973/7 (French version only)
15 February 1973
Compétence en matière de pêcheries (Royaume-Uni c. Islande) (République fédérale d'Allemagne c. Islande) - Date d'expiration des délais pour la procédure écrite sur le fond (French version only)
Available in:
Press release 1973/27 (French version only)
12 July 1973
Compétence en matière de pêcheries - Maintien en vigueur des mesures conservatoires (French version only)
Available in:
Press release 1974/1 (French version only)
15 March 1974
Compétence en matière de pêcheries - Date des audiences en vue d'entendre les plaidoiries sur le fond (French version only)
Available in:
Press release 1974/3 (French version only)
29 March 1974
Compétence en matière de pêcheries - Audiences des 25, 28 et 29 mars 1974 (French version only)
Available in:
Press release 1974/8 (French version only)
18 July 1974
Compétence en matière de pêcheries - La Cour rendra ses arrêts sur le fond le jeudi 25 juillet 1974 (French version only)
Available in:
Press release 1974/9 (French version only)
25 July 1974
Compétence en matière de pêcheries (Royaume-Uni c. Islande) - La Cour rend son arrêt sur le fond du différend (French version only)
Available in:

Correspondence

14 April 1972
Correspondence
Available in: