Angling for Change Campaign

THE GIBRALTAR FEDERATION OF SEA ANGLERS

RESCHEDULED ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING is taking place at 7:00 pm on THURSDAY 19th MAY 2016 at THE BOAT HOUSE, BAYSIDE SPORTS COMPLEX, BAYSIDE ROAD, GIBRALTAR.
MEMBERS ONLY

THE GIBRALTAR FEDERATION OF SEA ANGLERS

ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING is taking place at 7:00 pm on MONDAY 11th APRIL 2016 at the JOHN MACKINTOSH HALL.

MEMBERS ONLY

PRESS RELEASE

LEGISLATION ON FISHING – THE FIRST STEP IN REGULATING GIBRALTAR’S MARINE ENVIRONMENT IS TAKEN

The headline in the Gibraltar Chronicle, of the 19th June 2013, ‘Government starts process to legislate on fishing’ is exactly the news that the Gibraltar Federation of Sea Anglers has been waiting for well over 17 years.
After years of campaigning this is the first real milestone that opens the door to the legislative process that will deliver the objectives of the Angling for Change Campaign.

This does not mean to say that we do not welcome the report commissioned by the Government. The process that began as a result of the ‘Fishing Dispute’ and culminated in the publication of the report entitled ‘The Management of Marine Resources in the Waters around Gibraltar’, that was written by highly respected independent experts, reaffirms exactly what the Federation already knew and has been saying for years. In this sense it is a total vindication of its position. And the Committee after looking at all the recommendations can now say with complete certainty that it got all its demands and minimum conditions to ensure that Gibraltar’s marine environment is properly protected 100% right. GFSA wants the recognition it deserves for being the lead organisation that campaigned for, took direct action and worked tirelessly to bring this matter to the attention of the public. To the extent that it has ‘shut up’ and neutralised the sceptics, GFSA acknowledges the importance of the report. It was the imperative that has provided the political process that is now being rolled out with justification it needed to do what must now be done.

GFSA is well on it’s to achieving its objectives and it is doing so in partnership with a new Government that has listened. The Nature Protection Act 1991in its current form cannot deliver the necessary framework of controls and regulations to ensure that Gibraltar’s marine environment is protected. And so this first step that the Government is taking will provide the ministerial powers to set up the licensing regime and other controls and regulations that the Federation has been calling for years.

The Federation would like to thank the Government for listening, for taking on board the concerns expressed and for working in partnership towards a common aim. It has taken longer than originally planned and promised in the GSLP/Lib Alliance manifesto and as an organisation we have had to show restraint and patience when others have been quick to judge the commitment of the Government to deliver a package of regulations and controls. This announcement provides the evidence that the first crucial step has been taken. GFSA now looks forward to the announcement, shortly, of the controls and regulations planned that will finally make the objectives of the Angling for Change Campaign a reality.

At last - the report that everyone was waiting for - the link takes you to the GOG site from where you can download it. Tell us what you think of it. The GFSA Committee will be discussing it at their meeting next week and your views can be fed into the process.

376/2013 - The Fishing Report: Active Management of BGTW Essential Official Website of the Government of Gibraltar. Press Office, Public Services, Tourism and Travel, Economy & Tax, Law & Justice, About Gibraltar.

The RGP reminding Spanish commercial fishermen that they have no right to use nets in Gibraltar Waters. This is a timely intervention given that the Southern Waters Management Scheme 2012 was published yesterday by the GoG.

Los pescadores de la Bahía de Algeciras vuelven a sufrir el "acoso"... Los pescadores de la Bahía de Algeciras vuelven a sufrir el "acoso" de la Policía gibraltareña. . Desde el sector pesquero no se entiende como ahora "de nuevo" vuelve el acoso cuando parecía que la situación "se había normalizado más o menos"

The link below takes you to the new Southern Waters of Gibraltar Management Scheme 2012. This is the document that the GOG published yesterday and was reported extensively in the local media. It should be noted that the Government have stated that this is a work in progress. And this is just how it should be. This is the first step in the process. The next one will be to publish the regulations mentioned in the paper that are designed to protect our marine environment and control how it is used. This document is far superior in content and emphasis to anything that has been done previously.

http://www.gibraltar.gov.gi/images/stories/PDF/environment/Southern_Waters_of_Gibraltar_Management_S

Southern Waters of Gibraltar Management Scheme

The Government of Gibraltar is pleased to announce the publication of the revised Southern Waters of Gibraltar Management Scheme. This Management Scheme provides a framework to enable the Relevant Authorities to carry out their responsibilities and functions in line with the requirements of the Nature Protection Act 1991, the Marine Strategy Regulations 2011 and the Marine Protection Regulations 2012.

These legislative provisions aim to protect both the habitats and species for which the Southern Waters of Gibraltar European Marine Site was designated, but extended to the whole of British Gibraltar Territorial Waters. The Management Scheme promotes the sustainable use of a living, working environment. It brings together all existing management measures in place and provides the mechanism by which these can be delivered. The Management Scheme will not be a static management plan, but an ongoing process that aids decision-making and continually evolves to take account of changing issues and legal obligations. It sets out a regime to monitor the condition of the site’s features and considers options to rectify any deterioration of natural habitats and species. The revised scheme differs from the original in that it refers to the Marine Protection Regulations that are currently being formulated, refers to Marine Conservation Zones, and defines non-anchoring sites in order to protect the integrity of offshore reefs.

Rules to regulate activities in the Marine Conservation Zones are currently being drafted in consultation with relevant stakeholders as part of the Marine Protection Regulations.

Well after all the hype once again the bravado shown by the Spaniards, in this case the owner of the Divina Providencia, doesn't match up to what happens. Although he appointed a lawyer to attend court so that he could comply with the summons, he did not attend. To be absolutely frank he was unlikely to attend. The Spanish Government would not have permitted him to do so. Politically they had too much to loose.

The new regulation that the Junta de Andalucia is about to enforce, 'decreto 64/2012', starts by saying the following:

'El objetivo general de las políticas pesqueras es garantizar
una explotación racional de los recursos pesqueros en
consonancia con unas condiciones socioeconómicas y medioambientales sostenibles. De este modo, las políticas de conservación de los recursos deben complementarse con medidas
de ordenación del sector pesquero, entre las que se incluyen
las condiciones para el ejercicio profesional de las actividades
pesqueras. En particular, el establecimiento de las jornadas y
horarios autorizados para el desarrollo de las actividades .....'

PANORAMA EXCLUSIVE
from Britsih Government

‘Spain has no authority to regulate any
activity in Gibraltar waters - and we would
neither tolerate nor recognise any such attempt’

With increasing concern in Gibraltar that Spain was heightening its anti-Gibraltar attitude and the UK was continuing to show signs of appeasement, PANORAMA put eleven questions to London, while in Gibraltar we held a one-hour meeting with the Governor.

From The Convent came the reply: His Excellency has secured the following message from HMG as well as specific replies to your questions.

Effectively, the statement from the British Government follows our questioning and the replies given. This carries more weight.

With the Spanish Government threatening to widen its action on British Gibraltar Territorial Waters, including bunkering, the HMG statement says: "Spain has no authority to regulate any activity inside BGTW and we would neither tolerate nor recognise any Spanish attempt to do so."

The public here will link the latest Spanish threats with the answer given by HMG.

The statement further adds:

• Incursions by the Guardia Civil represent an unacceptable violation of British sovereignty.

• Diplomatic communications are confidential which is why HMG does not publicise the details of exchanges with Spain unless they are part of a more public agenda.

• We have a clear UK government policy to resist any challenge to UK sovereignty over Gibraltar and its waters.

• We will continue to uphold British sovereignty by all appropriate means.

THIS IS THE HMG STATEMENT IN FULL:

• The UK Government is clear that all unlawful incursions into BGTW by the Guardia Civil represent an unacceptable violation of British sovereignty. This is why the Royal Navy challenges all such incursions and we back this up with formal protests to the Spanish Government through diplomatic channels.

• Spanish incursions are not a threat to British sovereignty. We believe that incursions cannot, do not and will not change the fact of British sovereignty. That is why the UK is confident that the challenges being made by the Royal Navy and our diplomatic protests are the correct response and essential to protect sovereignty.

• Spain has no authority to regulate any activity inside BGTW and we would neither tolerate nor recognise any Spanish attempt to do so. We will continue to uphold British sovereignty by all appropriate means.

• Diplomatic contact between UK and Spain is frequent, both at Ministerial and official level, and covers a wide range of other issues in the bilateral relationship.

• Diplomatic communications are confidential, which is why HMG does not publicise the details of exchanges with our Spanish counterparts unless these are part of a more public agenda.

• However, we regularly update HM Government of Gibraltar, through the Office of the Governor, in confidence, on these exchanges when issues relating to Gibraltar arise.

• We have a clear UK government policy to resist any challenge to UK sovereignty over Gibraltar and its waters, and any discussions with Spain are consistent with our commitments to Gibraltar on sovereignty, which are well known. The Royal Navy presence in Gibraltar, their challenging of incursions and subsequent diplomatic representations to Spain are all manifestations of that commitment."

20-09-12

Tomorrow is D-Day for the Captain of the Divina Providencia. Will be be attending Court?