Jun 02 - Government Pass Fishing Motion And Argue That Opposition “Vote Against British Sovereignty Of BGTW”
The Government passed a motion in Parliament on Friday afternoon dealing with the Leader of the Opposition's motion on fishing as follows:
"THIS HOUSE CONDEMNS the so-called fishing agreement entered into in 1999 between the then Government and a group of Spanish fishermen as contrary to the rule of law in its selective application of the law to some but not to others;
BELIEVES that the 1999 fishing agreement purported to override the law of Gibraltar by setting out to regulate fishing in certain numbers, in certain locations, at certain distances and with certain methods even though this remained prohibited in law;
TAKES NOTE of the expert report entitled 'The Management of Marine Living Resources in the Waters around Gibraltar' which was commissioned by the Government and published in December 2012;
CONSIDERS that the regulation of fishing and diving in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters must be handled in a sensible and responsible manner;
THEREFORE WELCOMES the policy of the Government to engage in a process of consultation with many different stakeholders in relation to fishing and diving in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters and the announcement that Regulations are due to be published shortly by the Ministry for the Environment to start the process of regulating use of the marine environment;
AND REAFFIRMS the unquestionable British sovereignty, jurisdiction and control of the waters around Gibraltar as set out in the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and the uninhibited right of the Parliament of Gibraltar to legislate in those waters as set out in the Gibraltar Constitution."
Only three Opposition members (Messrs Feetham and Bossino and Mrs Ellul-Hammond) were in the Chamber for the debate.
The Government regrets that the Opposition has voted against the motion and that it has therefore not formed part of the vote reaffirming unquestionable British sovereignty, jurisdiction and control of the waters around Gibraltar. The Government believes it is the first time in Gibraltar's history that an Opposition has voted against such a re-affirmation of British Sovereignty and not chosen to, at least abstain, if they did not agree with other parts of the motion.
Chief Minister Fabian Picardo said: "It was clear to all watching the proceedings of Parliament today that Mr Feetham was caught on a hook of his own making. A Labour Party press release from 2003 clearly showed him to be against the 1999 Fishing Agreement which he was defending. He had no argument to put in his attempt to defend the GSD actions he had been so specifically against. But to vote against (and not, at least, abstain) British Sovereignty over Gibraltar's waters is a new low, even for him."
