Spain’s Guardia Civil challenged Gibraltar waters on 47 occasions in eight months
Guardia Civil vessels escorted Spanish fishing boats into Gibraltar territorial waters on 47 occasions during the first eight months of the year, according to the British Government. The information was revealed in a response to questions in the House of Lords, in which Britain also reaffirmed its position on sovereignty.
It also called on “all parties” to show restraint and seek dialogue to resolve the fishing dispute. “Spanish agencies have no jurisdiction in British Gibraltar Territorial Waters,” said Conservative peer Viscount Younger of Leckie.
“The Royal Navy challenges all unlawful maritime incursions by the Guardia Civil and we make formal diplomatic protests about all such incursions to the Spanish Government.”
“In our protests we make it clear that such incursions are an unacceptable violation of British sovereignty.”
Lord Leckie was responding to questions from the Liberal Democrat peer Lord Chidgey, who was among the British parliamentarians who attended Gibraltar’s National Day celebrations last month.
Lord Chidgey tabled four parliamentary questions in the House of Lords after his return to the UK, all of which sought information relating to the fishing dispute.
Lord Leckie revealed that Giles Paxman, Britain’s ambassador to Madrid, had been summoned to the Ministry for Foreign Affairs last March, when the fishing row first flared up. Although Mr Paxman discusses Gibraltar-related issues during the course of routine contacts with the Spanish government, this was the first time since 2010 that he had been called to a meeting specifically over a Gibraltar matter.
Lord Leckie said Britain had never called the Spanish ambassador to complain about illegal fishing by Spanish vessels. He said there had been no incidents involving Spanish fishing boats prior to this year.
“Before 2012 limited fishing by Spanish vessels took place, in contravention of Gibraltar law, under an informal agreement between the previous Chief Minister of Gibraltar and local Spanish fishermen,” Lord Leckie said. “The position of the new Government of Gibraltar is that application of the law should be equal for everyone”.
Lord Leckie said that British Foreign Minister William Hague had discussed the fishing dispute with his Spanish counterpart, Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo, when the two met in London last May.
“They agreed their joint support for a local solution to the fishing dispute,” he said.
“This remains our position and we encourage all parties to show restraint and engage in dialogue to find a way forward.”
Lord Chidgey also asked whether the British Government intended to bolster the assets of the Royal Navy to monitor and ‘repress’ illegal activity in British waters around Gibraltar. He received a response from Lord Astor of Hever, the Conservative peer who is parliamentary under secretary of state for defence.
“The Royal Navy in Gibraltar currently has sufficient assets to challenge unlawful incursions into British Gibraltar territorial waters by Spanish state vessels,” Lord Astor said. “We continually monitor the situation and routinely adjust our force posture and resources as appropriate.
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19 comments Feed
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so can we,
david shift ya lazy bum, and back them up.
The Guardia are no match for the Royal Navy and a warship moving in on Spanish fishing vessels can be easily seized even with the Guardia present and then the next time a Guaria vessel enters British waters that also gets seized.
Doing that would quickly put an end to the violation of British waters.
I appreciate the British are trying to show tolerance to the Spanish government by showing them leniency given the terrible state their country is in but enough is enough now.
Then you either put ya food down,
Or they will keep pushing, until talking is to late.
Stand firm and be counted.
.
Ship gets impounded and the crew are arrested by the police/DEFRA (or whatever its called these days).
Spain has never recognised UK sovereignty over the Bay of Algeciras. As a consequence of the actions taken by the Gibraltar colonists, Spain has signalled that it will now step up its efforts to regulate fishing, bunkering and other activities in its EU-approved nature site in the Bay of Algeciras.
If the Gibraltar colonists have a problem with Spain’s actions then they should encourage their British over-lords to honour their commitments under the Brussels process and heed the numerous UN General Assembly resolutions requiring that the UK decolonise Gibraltar and enter into discussions with Spain over Gibraltar.
What colonists, there never were any colonists, idiot! what you think the Brits brought them there on ships! Gilbraltarians have always lived on the rock, they are the original inhabitants of the Penninsula. What is it with you people?, what gives you the right to say how people who have lived there for centuries, live their own lives? Is it because it is something you can not have? Is it placebo for your own problems? What? what is is? jealousy? envy? that makes you think that by ruining other peoples way of life, you will sort out you own!
I've got news for you! it won't. Go away, live your lives and let them live theirs.
Repatriate the crew & confiscate & sell the ship.
Guarantee they won't come again.(warn them:-”next time, torpedo)
(plus send Spain a bill for the fuel used etc) :-))))))))))))))
Stop pussyfooting around with them,
lts the only thing these people understand.
so funny, it seems no country exists when britain is stealing it
Spain is a massive hypocrite in this matter. It still controls two former territories in Morocco and does not show any willingness to hand these back. In addition Gibraltar was originaly owned and settled (as was most of Southern Spain) by the Arabs from Northern Africa. These had the land stolen from them by the Spanish Kingdom, (if you go and watch the fil El Cid, it explains it very well). In addition Spain ceded Gibraltar to the UK in return for Britain reconising the Bourbon monarchy of Spain. As result the UK occupied the area and developed it. Spain can not now go back on its own treaty and demand their return. Dont blame the British for Gibraltar blame Philip V of Spain who was willing to give it away in return for the support of the British Crown on him being the ruler of the rest of Spain.
@4 Which “law” was that? The one that says argieland can refuse to pay its debts with impunity?
@7 You're funny. First, Gibraltar isn't a “colony”. It's a British Overseas Territory that has its own Government and chooses to remain associated with Britain. How it must stick in latino craws. Second, it was an illegal agreement. Illegal under the only laws that pertain to British Gibraltar Territorial Waters. The laws of Gibraltar. It was revealed only yesterday that there are documents in the Spanish National Archive, Spanish documents, that state that Spain's claim to the waters around the Rock are seriously flawed. Spain ignores this. Spain says that Gibraltar has no territorial waters because the Treaty of Utrecht doesn't mention them. However, the Treaty is irrelevant. The relevant international law is the Convention on the Territorial Sea and Contiguous Zone 1958. Incidentally, the Treaty of Utrecht doesn't mention Spanish territorial waters either. The Brussels process is DEAD! Gibraltar says so and so does Britain. The UN resolutions are non-binding. Any attempted action by Spanish authorities inside BGTW is likely to see a lot of Spanish vessels and officials arrested and jailed.
@ It pains me to say it, but I'm afraid you're wrong.
please can you show us a copy of this document of this agreement.
if not, you will only make yourself look silly
wont you..
another argie CFK sponsored trick..
Seems a bit wasteful (torpedoes aren't cheap) when a couple of 4.5” rounds would do the job just as thoroughly at a fraction of the cost.
Maybe we should send some attack divers across the bay with a few hand drills and hack saws to sink the Guardia launches and their fishing vessels. They might get the message.
Neither did the United Kindom then...
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