The United Kingdom Navy have been sent into protect Gibraltar’s fisheries after illegal Moroccan fishing boats are breaking the European Union laws over fishing in their waters.
Gibraltar’s Ministry of Ecological Transition and Demographic Challenge have received complaints from ecologist’s over drift netting.
Ecologist’s claim that the Moroccan fishermen are not complying with the European directives, that prohibit fishing with any type of drift nets in all the waters of the European Union.
An ecological confederation of more than 300 ecologists, Ecologists in Action have slammed the illegal practice of drift nets in the Gibraltar straits.
The organisation said in a statement, This practice continues to cause great concern due to by-catches of marine mammals, sea turtles and seabirds, mostly protected by EU regulations.
Ecological confederation added, that the European Commission completely prohibits fishing with drift nets in the EU, as well as keeping them on board fishing vessels.
They warned in 2002 that all drift nets, regardless of their size, have been banned in EU waters.
The group also said it is not the first time that groups of Verdemar-Ecologistas en Acción denounce these illegal practices that not only capture marine mammals, sea turtles and seabirds, the majority of which are protected, but that are going to cause a maritime accident in the Strait of Gibraltar.
The Spanish Navy have also arrested Moroccan fishing vessels when fishing in the Strait, of Gibraltar, whilst the Moroccan government also began years ago to withdraw drift nets because of the fishing agreements with the European Union.
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