Following the tabling of the Fishing Report commissioned by the Government in Parliament yesterday, the Opposition has had an opportunity of reviewing its contents.  It intends, however, to carry out a more thorough review over the coming days. 

Whilst the report appears to represent a detailed analysis of matters as wide ranging as, for example, fishing stocks, information relating to these, the relevant history and EU and international conventions, the important ‘elephant in the room’ issue for the public is whether there will be a solution found to the current uncertainty.

The party’s views that the most recent crisis in our waters was of the Government’s own making has been fully aired in public.  The GSD’s main and immediate concern now, as Gibraltar’s elected Opposition, however, is that Gibraltar’s interests are fully safeguarded.  In this connection it is imperative that a quick solution to the uncertainty which currently prevails is resolved without further delay.  There is nothing in the report, the Government’s statements or the Minister for the Environment’s GBC interview in the immediate aftermath of the publishing of the report, that leads the Opposition to believe that a permanent solution is to be found soon.

This matter requires a prompt solution because, as previously stated by the GSD, there are issues much wider than the environment at stake. We have no fishing industry but what we do have, which is worth protecting, is a stable political environment which will allow our community to prosper economically, for the benefit of our citizens.  The GSD therefore takes this opportunity to restate its position that the Government will therefore count on the Opposition’s full support, if it makes sensible proposals to resolve this matter, once and for all. 

In the Chronicle report on the La Linea mayor’s visit to number 6 on 19^th March, 2013, she was quoted as saying that Mr Picardo had advised her that he had received the technical reports from the experts which “could form the basis of a satisfactory solution for both sides”.  The question in the Opposition’s and in many people’s mind is, where is the solution?

The report is dated December 2012, i.e. some seven months ago, which should have given the Government sufficient time to prepare plans and the new legislative framework which they promised.  The Government is now telling us that it is still preparing a marine strategy for Gibraltar and that its full effects will be seen in ‘months to come’ or ‘sometime in the autumn’. 

The planned strategy will make allowance for changes to laws to ‘allow sustainable fishing methods’.  It is not clear whether the effect of this is that Spanish fishermen will be allowed to fish.  Despite repeated questioning by GBC yesterday on the simple question as to whether Spanish fishermen will be allowed to fish, Minister Cortes was not willing to provide a clear answer. People seek leadership on this issue and are therefore demanding a clear and unequivocal answer which has not been forthcoming from the Government.