Overseas Patrol Squadron

Fishery Protection Squadron Overseas Patrol Squadron
Three River-class patrol vessels of the Overseas Patrol Squadron, HMS Severn, HMS Tyne and HMS Mersey are pictured exercising off the coast of Cornwall.
Active	1379 (ad-hoc) 1891 (official)
Country	England  United Kingdom
Branch	Royal Navy
Type	Squadron
Role	Fisheries protection
Size	8 ships as of 2021
Home port	HMNB Portsmouth
Ships	HMS Forth · HMS Medway · HMS Trent · HMS Tamar · HMS Spey · HMS Tyne · HMS Mersey · HMS Severn
Engagements	Cod Wars,
Website	Royal Navy
Commanders
Commanding Officer	Commander Simon Pressdee
Notable commanders	Horatio Nelson – captained HMS Albemarle in 1781

The Overseas Patrol Squadron (known as the Fishery Protection Squadron until 2020) is a front-line squadron of the Royal Navy with responsibility for patrolling the UK's Extended Fisheries Zone, both at home and around British Overseas Territories. The squadron, with headquarters at HMNB Portsmouth, is equipped with eight of the River-class patrol vessels.

The squadron is the oldest front-line squadron in the Royal Navy, and boasts Admiral Lord Nelson amongst those who have served in it. Originally the squadron was based on the coast of North America, Iceland and the UK, patrolling much of the North Atlantic against French and American incursions. Over the past hundred years it has been slimmed down to follow a more policing-oriented approach, dealing mainly with infringements by civilian fishermen. Despite this, it still has a strong military role, as evidenced in its role in the Cod Wars of the 1960s–1970s. Vessels of the squadron fly the historic blue and yellow squared pennant of the Fishery Protection Squadron.^[1]