ANGRY FISHERMEN have launched a protest over the Government's decision to sign away Britain's rights to 60,000 square miles of the Atlantic Ocean around the granite outcrop of Rockall.

Members of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations have written to Agriculture Minister Jack Cunningham over the move, which it is claimed could cost billions in future oil, fishing and minerals rights.

The row centres on a Foreign Office decision-announced last Monday in a Commons written reply-to ratify the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea, an international treaty which prevents uninhabited rocks without an an economy from being used as a basis for territorial claims.

Greenpeace, which had been occupying Rockall in protest at oil and gas exploration in the North Atlantic, has ended its 48-day stay on the outcrop after heralding as a "partial victory" the news that the Government will sign the treaty.

Britain's most westerly claim will from next week be the islands of St Kilda, 100 miles off Harris.

Rockall remains part of the UK because it is within 200 miles of St Kilda. However, the problem for the fishing community is that the ratification means Britain will immediately have to cede fishing and mining rights to an area in a 200-mile radius of Rockall.

Most of the sea around the rock will be redefined as "international waters" and open to negotiation between interested parties. The decision will also reduce European fishing rights to the north Atlantic.

Barry Deas, chief executive of the National Federation of Fishermen's Organisations, which represents 2000 vessels in English, Welsh and Northern Irish waters said his members "are totally sick of the way this whole thing has been handled."

It would have been better if the Foreign Office had consulted first before making the decision, he said, adding, "Essentially the Government has surrendered on British fishing jurisdiction.

"Obviously we would have been opposed to it in the first place but the way it has come about without any consultation whatever has intensified anger in the industry.

"We've not even had a chart to see how it relates to the fishing grounds around Rockall.

"All we have had is bland assurances from MAFF that it will be all right. It has obviously come from the Foreign Office, but we seem to be expendable and we're sick of it.

"We've written to Jack Cunningham asking why he has allowed this to go through without any consultation and await his answer with interest."

Legislation might be needed if British companies want to mine the deep sea bed under the terms of the Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Greenpeace is taking legal action against the Government for granting licenses to companies in the area because it claims mining will destroy rare cold water coral reefs, as it claims the Government has broken European Union directives protecting species.

The Foreign Office decision does not affect the High Court case because the mining is going on in British territorial waters.

Greenpeace oil campaign spokesman Robbie Kelman said the areas ceded to the UN should be declared a joint non-development area for fossil fuels, the chief cause of global warming.

He said, "We welcome this. It gives the UK Government the opportunity to progress and tie in their environmental policy on protection of the world climate and their industry policy.

"At the moment these two policies are in stark contrast. One says we need to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and the other is saying there should be ever more oil exploration. It is a completely contradictory policy for the Government to follow." Greenpeace deputy executive director Chris Rose said, "Greenpeace wants nations squabbling over different territorial claims to agree that none of them will exploit the area for oil-in the same way countries have agreed non-development in the Antarctic.

"The world already has enough oil. If all existing reserves were burned we know it would lead to irreversible climate change, so why are we searching for more oil? The UK as a major industrialised nation needs to set an example for the world to follow. Robin Cook should now say clearly which areas of sea-bed the UK will or will not develop for oil."