Greenpeace urges Spain to curb nets

GREENPEACE called on the Spanish government yesterday to police its fishing fleets more effectively, writes Danny Penman.

The call follows the environmental group's claims that Spanish fishing boats are using illegal drift-nets in the Straits of Gibraltar, and the attacks on Cornish fishing vessels by Spanish fishermen in the Atlantic tuna grounds.

Rainbow Warrior, flagship of the Greenpeace fleet, is stationed in the western Mediterranean trying to catch more Spanish fishermen using illegal drift-nets. The organisation plans to present any evidence it gathers to the Spanish authorities and to the European Union.

Spain outlaws the use of driftnets and the EU limits them to a maximum length of 2.5km (1.6 miles).

Greenpeace is calling for an outright ban in EU waters on drift-nets, even those with dolphin escape panels - a 100-yard gap for every 140-yard stretch of net. The Cornish fishermen claim the escape panels allow marine mammals to escape from the nets.

Robert Morris, spokesman for Greenpeace, said: 'We've never seen any proof that panels do work. If the dolphins do swim through them then that's fine, but if they swim into the net then they could drown.

'We oppose drift-nets in principle - we really do not want to compromise on this issue.'

(Photograph omitted)