Spanish fishing fleet blocks French port

Press, 12 June 1986, Page 10

Spanish fishing fleet blocks French port

NZPA-Reuter Hendaye, France Spanish fishermen blockading a French port in a dispute over fishing rights have vowed to pursue their protest despite warnings from Paris that it will not tolerate their action. French naval vessels patrolled the disputed area, off the Basque coastline on the border

between France and Spain, as the blockade of the port of Hendaye moved into its third day. About 8000 Spanish fishermen and their families marched angrily to the border yesterday to press for the right to return to fishing grounds they lost when Spain joined the European Economic Community in January.

A four-man team of fishermen’s leaders that crossed the border into Hendaye to deliver a petition at the Spanish Consulate said they would not call off the blockade until France made concrete proposals to end the dispute. Their pledge flew in the face of warnings by France’s Maritime Affairs Minister, Mr Ambroise

Guellec, who said Paris would not negotiate under duress. “Free access to the port of Hendaye must be reestablished immediately,” he said yesterday. France, which had sent four navy ships to the area, was ready for any eventuality, he said. Madrid’s treaty of accession to the Community did not recognise any

Spanish rights in an area known as Zone BC, where the- Spaniards say they have fished for hake for 300 years. France now claims exclusive right to fish there. Port authorities say that between 270 and 350 Spanish boats are blockading Hendaye. Local fishermen have declared a strike because they cannot break out of the

blockade. Officials say the dispute is complicated because the Spanish fishermen are putting pressure at the same time on their own government and on France. French maritime authorities had hoped that perennial fishing disputes off the Basque coast would end when Spain joined the Community.