During the Gunboat War in the early 19th century, the United Kingdom introduced a trade embargo against Denmark-Norway. In this period, the pomor trade proved vital for North Norway. A decree legalising direct trade between fishermen and pomors during the Napoleonic Wars was issued in 1809. Several Russian vessels were seized by the Royal Navy, and thus many vessels did not sail any further than East Finnmark. Then in 1809, during the Anglo-Russian War, the British government established a blockade along Norway's coast in the years, amongst other things to stop the pomor trade and cut the supply lines of goods from Arkangelsk. The White Sea was closed, but quite a few Russian vessels managed to slip through. The Norwegian response to the blockade was to fortify important harbours such as Hammerfest and in 1810 the Norwegians established a special naval squadron, the "Finnmarkseskadren" or "The Finnmark squadron", to protect the pomor trade.