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On Thursday, the Spanish government will discuss the impact the Court of Justice of the European Union’s ruling will have on the fisheries agreement concluded with Morocco. The Rajoy’s government wants first to hear the opinion of those who represent the fishing sector in Spain before taking a decision.
In fact, fishermen in Spain have expressed their worries regarding the future of the agreement that allows them to fish in the Moroccan territorial waters in one hand. But in the other hand, ship-owners in other regions have adopted a different opinion. In Andalusia for example, fishermen are relieved that the agreement has not been invalidated by the CJEU as suggested by Advocate-General, Melchior Wathelet, who submitted his opinion to the Court on the 10th of January. They also stressed declaring that their vessels do not fish in the Western Sahara waters. However, the new ruling puts Andalusia in front of «a new situation», as stated by Pedro Maza, head of the Andalusia ship-owners association when speaking to EFE.
On Canal Sur, other parts from the region said they are fishing in the area between Larache and Casablanca. Although Andalusian vessels are abiding by the rules of the new decision, they will have to share the waters they fish in with other fishermen from Galicia, the Canary Islands and others coming from the European Union. It is to this competition that Pedro Maza referred to.
Affected by the ruling
12 boats in the Canary Islands authorized by the European Union, fish in the Western Sahara waters. The CJEU’s ruling will lay off 60 fishermen, said a member of the autonomous government.
In Galicia, the sector is also seriously threatened by the CJEU’s decision. Local vessels mainly fish in Western Sahara. «93% to 95% of the European Union fleet’s activities are carried out in the Western Sahara waters», said the Secretary-General of the Spanish Confederation of Fisheries, Javier Garat.
