Morocco seizes five trawlers for illegal fishing

Morocco seized last week four Spanish and a Norwegian trawler for fishing in an illegal zone in the north of Dakhla (southwestern Morocco).

Spanish daily El Mundo said the five boats accused of fishing in a banned fishing area were taken to the port of Dakhla.

The owners of the five boats will have to negotiate the release of their boat and the crews with Moroccan authorities.

Chairman of the Spanish association of fishing operators told the Spanish news agency "EFE" the fishing industry in his country is worried by Morocco's plan not to renew the fisheries agreement with Europe after its expiry in 1999.

He added that the industry is not technologically ready to look for other fishing areas and called the European Union to pay more attention to their grievances.