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The Spanish Government is reported to be on the verge of a controversial legal challenge which could provoke outrage from North Sea fishermen by redistributing already scarce white fish stocks in northern waters.
Officials in Brussels have confirmed that Spain is strongly considering filing a complaint to the European Court of Justice to obtain equal access to stocks in northern fisheries grounds. A spokeswoman for the Spanish Government said that the case may be presented to the court as early as 15 February.
Discriminatory practice
Spain made no secret of its dissatisfaction with the decision by EU fisheries ministers in December to allow equal access to North Sea waters for the Spanish fleet from 1 January but not to grant equal access to popular white fish stocks.
Stock quotas are currently granted according to the concept of "relative stability" which is based on historical fishing rights. A future court case by the Spanish Government would be based on the argument that this practice, which only gives Spain the rights to fish for non-quota species, is discriminatory.
Relative stability could be torn up
Struan Stevenson, the chairman of the European Parliament's Fisheries Committee, said that any such move by the Spanish Goverment would be "unfeeling to the plight of fishermen in the North Sea" and cautioned that it would be seen as "inflammatory."
If the case went to the court and the current regime was ruled to be discriminatory then "relative stability would be torn up," he added. "This would be applied to a background where fish stocks are in freefall and fishermen are restricted to a maximum of 15 days fishing for white fish stocks," he said.
A European Commission spokesman confirmed that the Spanish had already threatened to make the controversial move during December's fisheries council. "Any member state has the right to challenge an EU decision before the European Court of Justice," he said.
Meanwhile leaders of Europe's fishing industry will be meeting with high-ranking Commission officials on Tuesday to negotiate the Commission's long-term plans for cod and hake recovery in the North Sea. The Commission is due to release its final plan by 15 February for it to be adopted by fisheries ministers in March.
Related Article EUobserver.com
Written by Nicola Smith
Edited by Honor Mahony
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