Feb 26 - GSD Fishing Agreement 'Unconstitutional' Claims Govt
In response to yesterday’s criticism by the GSD of the Government’s position on illegal net fishing in the bay, a Government spokesperson has accused the party of attempting to ‘hide their desire for the illegal fishing to continue under the type of agreement they did in the late nineties’.
The Alliance is insistent that the two-tier enforcement system, implemented by the former Government for the Nature Protection Act, separated local and Spanish fishermen and was ‘unconstitutional’. The Government claims that this is the ‘illegal situation that Mr. Feetham is defending with facts that he makes up as he goes along and without regard to the law and the importance of it being enforced by an independent police unconstrained by the deals done by politicians for the convenience.’
With the RGP ‘free to use their discretion in applying the law’ the Chief Minister noted that the Government ‘does not seek to tell the Police what to do’. He further notes that the Department of the Environment is active in enforcing the Marine Regulations regardless of nationality. Although they do not deal with nets, they do enforce regulations on spearfishing, angling and spearfishing.
Commenting on the matter, the Chief Minister continued ‘Those who want the fishing to stop should not heed his clarion call, as he is only calling for the fishing to be allowed either by law or by another "dirty deal" a la GSD. The Government is very happy indeed that the serious fishing fraternity understands how enforcement is being rolled out in a responsible and proper manner after 16 years of GSD failure to regulate the marine environment. There are still issues of course, but Rome wasn't built in a day and the GSD's legacy of permitting Spanish fishing in breach of our laws has had an enduring effect.’
