Spanish local government plays down fisheries agreement with Morocco, prepares alternative activities for professionals

Fishing Professionals of the Spanish northwestern region of Galicia have suddenly changed their attitude and claimed the importance granted to this agreement has been exaggerated at a time preparations are going on to find alternative activities for professionals.

Local officials of the region, which has been pressing for the last 16 months for a renewal of the fisheries agreement with Morocco, are saying the fleet's dependence on Moroccan sea resources is important but not as much as was claimed by the trade unions and professionals.

Local fisheries minister, Amancio Landin, said only 600 crew members who used to fish in Moroccan waters are now on the dole and receive subsidies while another 800 work in alternative jobs either in other sectors or in fish-associated activities.

A new round of political and technical negotiations held this month failed to reach any agreement between Morocco and the EU. After the previous accord expired in November 1999, Morocco refused to renew the accord under its previous formula in a bid to safeguard its depleting sea resources. Some 400 European trawlers, mostly Spanish ones, were forced to cease activities in Moroccan waters.