evidence: Possession of Rockall, 240 miles (386km) west of the Scottish mainland, was for many decades deemed imperative in order to generate claims to the vast tracts of surrounding fisheries and the oil-rich Atlantic seabed. [...] The UK, however, is not the only state eager to gain control of the Hatton/Rockall basin. Ireland, Iceland and Denmark (on behalf of the Faroes) have also lodged overlapping claims. [...] Despite the tortuous negotiations, Rockall retains a symbolic attraction for adventurers. Tom McClean, an SAS veteran, endured 40 days roped to the outcrop in 1985 in order to assert the UK's claim. In 1997, Greenpeace protesters lasted for 42 days as part of a protest against oil exploration.