A period of antagonism between Britain and Iceland over fishing rights. The cause was Iceland’s unilateral extension of its fishing limits to protect against over-fishing. Icelandic warships harassed British trawlers fishing within this new limit (1975–76), prompting protective action by British warships. A compromise agreement was reached in 1976 which allowed 24 British trawlers within a 320-km (200-mile) limit. This hastened the decline of many British fishing ports, including Hull and Grimsby.