The Russian government said on Thursday it had approved a plan to revoke a Soviet-era fishing agreement with Britain that allows UK fishing vessels to operate in and around the Barents Sea.

The daily Izvestiya newspaper reported earlier on Thursday that the agriculture ministry had submitted draft legislation to allow Russia to pull out of the 1956 agreement in a move designed to ban Britain from fishing in waters rich in cod and haddock stocks.

Izvestiya said the move was in response to Britain’s attempts to damage the Russian economy following what Russia calls its “special military operation” in Ukraine.

The Russian cabinet’s approval of the plan was confirmed by a government spokesman.

The legislation will still need to be approved by the Russian parliament and President Vladimir Putin before it becomes law.