Aug 23 HMGOG reiterates its position on Fishing
- Sustainability and stock replenishment remains paramount consideration.
- Draft Legislation to be published shortly.
- Consultation ongoing with fishing and environmental groups.
Following the statements made by Spanish Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia Margallo at the Press Conference held after yesterday’s meeting of EU Foreign Minister in Brussels, Her Majesty’s Government of Gibraltar reiterates its policy remains one of goodwill towards resolving differences in the so-called “fishing dispute”.
HMGOG has made it absolutely clear from the beginning that it does not seek to exclude Spanish fishermen from BGTW, but that fishing had to be in keeping with Gibraltar law. The Chief Minister, the Deputy Chief Minister and the Minister for the Environment have held various meetings in the past 14 months with fishermen from the “Cofradia” and the Mayors of La Linea (on a number of occasions) and Algeciras (once) to consider the issues that arise from the fishing practices used by the fishermen which were contrary to the Nature Protection Act.
In its first morning of operation, the new border queue complaints procedure had over 20 complaints, including some from Spanish visitors to Gibraltar.
Mirror columnist Brian Reade has today claimed that the current dispute between Gibraltar and Spain is doing nothing but boost Prime Minister David Cameron’s popularity ahead of next year’s general election. Within his column, Mr. Reade today insisted that he believes Gibraltar should be given back to Spain.
