Spanish fishermen are on the warpath - and threaten with sending 50 fishing boats to Gibraltar.

 

 With such a menacing statement they have broken the silence that has reigned since the meeting that took place in Gibraltar with the Algeciras mayor Jose Ignacio Landaluce. At that meeting it was agreed with Mr Landaluce that representatives of the fishermen potentially affected would meet with technical officers of the Ministry of the Environment in order for them to understand what exactly Gibraltar law provides for and prohibits. It was also agreed to put the fishermen’s representatives in touch with the Commissioner of Police so that they can understand the independent nature of law enforcement in Gibraltar. However, days have gone by without any news of the fishermen having taken the offer made by chief minister Fabian Picardo. If prior to the meeting the fishermen had been complaining that on two occasions the Gibraltar police had asked fishing boats to leave Gibraltar waters, the situation now has worsened in that, yesterday, they were claiming that 10 vessels had been sent back from Gibraltar. In an angry mood, a member of the fishmermen's committee threatened that they would send 50 fishing boats to Catalan Bay, and added that 'if they have guns up the Rock they can start getting them ready.' The fishermen want to carry on fishing as they were until the decision was taken to implement the nature protection act, which meant that illegal nets could no longer be used. Since Gibraltar has been upholding EU law, which the Spanish government must as well, there was little the Spanish government could do but to say that Gibraltar had broken the 1999 fishing agreement. The Spanish government lodged a protest to the British Embassy in Madrid, and then everything went quiet. However, the fishermen were saying yesterday that they feel let down by the Spanish authorities and want the Spanish foreign ministry to support them. The fact that they are planning taking action themselves would seem to indicate that they are not expecting the kind of support they want. Further, it also shows that they think they have to taken action themselves, such as sending an armada of fishing boats to express their grievance. If it comes to the crunch, the government here will no doubt point to the meeting with Landaluce when a joint statement was issued. "The purpose of the meeting, which took place at Mr Landaluce’s request, was to discuss the policy of the GSLP/Liberal Government in relation to the question of fishing in Gibraltar waters in general and the enforcement of the Nature Protection Act in particular," said the statement. The Mayor, for his part, had wanted to explore the possibilities that exist for the fishermen to continue making a living. The Chief Minister explained then the policy of the Government and emphasised the point that the enforcement of the law is a matter for the Royal Gibraltar Police adding that the Government does not, constitutionally, have the power to instruct the Police on operational matters of this kind. He added that the position of the Government is that the application of the law should be equal for everyone and it is not acceptable that it should be tolerated that certain groups or nationals should be above the law. Clearly, the situation is confrontational if neither side changes its position. It is difficult to see how the Gibraltar government will want to cease upholding EU law. And if the mood of the fishermen yesterday is anything to go by, they may be ready to act as already threatened.

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