The Spanish and Moroccan fleets have finally reached an agreement in Tangier, Morocco, to divide the fishing days in the waters of the Strait of Gibraltar and prevent future problems.
The signed agreement provides that Moroccan fishermen may fish four days a week — Saturdays, Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays — and the Spanish ones can do so during the remaining three days.
Last September, the sailors of Barbate resumed fishing in the fishery after three years as a result of the stoppage as a consequence of the disagreement between the European Union (EU) and the Moroccan government. But within days of starting fishing activities, incidents began and the Spanish fishermen reported sabotage and threats.
According to the secretary general of the Spanish Fisheries Confederation (CEPESCA), Javier Garat, the deal was closed as part of “the friendship and cooperation between the two countries,” reported the agency EFE.
The parties agreed that if one day a country’s fleet is not enough, the fishermen of the other nationality may go out into the sea provided they do not interfere with their counterpart’s activities.
A monitoring committee, composed of fishermen from both nations, has to deal with problems that may arise.
“I think it’s perfectly possible to share this fishery and hopefully they are the ones who will regulate themselves and see how they can be used in the most peaceful way and under the best conditions ever,” said Javier de Torre, deputy delegate of the government of Cadiz, as it was reported by Diario de Jerez.
The meeting was convened by the Hispanic Moroccan Joint Commission of Fishery Professionals, which was created in 2011 in order to seek a solution to the incidents that contributed for the fleets of both countries to clash since the bilateral fisheries protocol came into effect.
The meeting was attended by the Director General of Fisheries of Spain, Ignacio Escobar; the Head of the Department of Fisheries Resources Protection of Morocco, Taoufik El Ktiri; and Fishery Affairs representative in the European Commission (EC) in Morocco, Sébastien Copin.
By Analia Murias
editorial@fis.com
www.fis.com
