May 26 - GSD Says Government Accepts Illegal Fishing As A “Fact Of Life”
The GSD says it is surprised to see that in its response to the concerns it has raised on illegal fishing in Gibraltar waters, the Government appears to “have accepted such as a fact of life.”
The Opposition says that this activity constitutes the continued flouting of Gibraltar’s laws and that this Government made a commitment to stop this. The party adds that to “again lay the blame” for lack of enforcement with the RGP “demonstrates either a naivety on their part when they made the commitment to stop fishing and uphold the rule of law, or a disingenuous approach towards the electorate by making a commitment that they knowingly could not deliver.”
The GSD refers to the GSLP-Liberal manifesto of 2011 which reads: "We do not believe it is right to allow illegal fishing in our waters and we will stop this immediately"
The GSD says that during its last term, the Government “spent extravagantly” on the marine sections of the various law enforcement agencies and that, while this was laudable, the tax payer is entitled to see a return on that investment represented by the enforcement of our laws at sea. The party argues that saying that the amount of illegal fishing so far this year is lower than in previous years “is to admit that one of its flagship policies, accompanied by the cry of "aqui no se pesca" has been an abject failure.”
Shadow Minister for the Environment, Trevor Hammond said: "There is nothing sensationalist about holding Government to account on this issue, which they made a cause celebre, and on which they have failed to deliver on their commitments. Dr Cortes cannot on the one hand criticise the previous administration for allowing illegal fishing and then admit that his administration is doing precisely the same thing, despite a promise to do otherwise. I will give praise where it is due and have done so by citing the success of the artificial reef, but Dr Cortes knows that such successes are as nothing if we then permit illegal fishing activities to destroy the environment we have created. While Dr Cortes may cherry pick any recommendations from the Government commissioned fishing report which might have been implemented, it is no accident that the very first recommendation is that 'commercial fishing should be stopped in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters in accordance with the Nature Protection Act', is he willing to concede that this recommendation has been either rejected or ignored?"
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