Gibraltar’s representation at the Labour Party Conference continued yesterday evening with the Gibraltar Reception hosted by the Chief Minister Fabian Picardo and featuring a keynote speech by the UK Minister for Europe and the Overseas Territories Stephen Doughty MP.
This weekend, incursions by the Guardia Civil into British Gibraltar Territorial Waters once more saw Spanish officials exercise jurisdiction over Gibraltarian pleasure craft. Following the Convent’s statement on the matter yesterday afternoon, condemning the move, the Government is determined that these actions are illegal, and contrary to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
The GSD has claimed that with ‘more fishing with nets in BGTW than ever before’ the Government ‘appear to be acting like rabbits caught in headlights over the fishing crisis.’
The party insists that it has been two years since the Government did away with the 1999 Agreement, but the Nature Protection Act also not being properly enforced.
The Office of the Governor has said that it will be sending a protest to the Spanish Government after two incidents this weekend in which the Guardia Civil attempted to exercise jurisdiction over pleasure craft in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters.