‘Fish War’ Resumes as Canadians Chase Boats

The government said its patrol vessels chased Spanish trawlers out of disputed fishing grounds in international waters Sunday as Canada’s “fish war” heated up again.

The 45-minute pursuit, as described by Fisheries and Oceans Minister Brian Tobin in Ottawa, came one day after negotiators meeting in Vancouver failed to resolve the disagreement over fishing conservation.

Tobin said a Spanish fishing boat refused to be boarded by Canadian fishing inspectors and fled, seeking the protection of a Spanish patrol vessel in the area. Four Canadian ships gave chase but broke off the pursuit because of heavy fog, he said.

The upshot, however, was that fishing in the area was halted, at least for the day, Tobin said.

Canada is in conflict with Spain and other European Union nations over its claimed right to enforce fishing conservation beyond its internationally recognized 200-mile limit.

Tobin has accused the Spanish fishing fleet of plundering stocks of turbot--also known as Greenland halibut--and other dwindling species just outside Canada’s territorial waters. The Spaniards’ trawling, in turn, affects Canadian fishermen, because the turbot migrate between Canadian and international waters, Tobin argues.

The Europeans say they are fishing within their rights. Earlier this month, they accused Canada of piracy when it seized the Spanish trawler Estai after firing across its bow.

Canada had agreed to retreat from its aggressive tactics during the Vancouver talks, but the negotiations in British Columbia ended Saturday without agreement.

The latest incident occurred on the eve of a United Nations conference on migrating fish stocks. That meeting begins today in New York, and Tobin is scheduled to attend.

Tobin and the conservation group Greenpeace, which also has a ship in the disputed zone, reported that there are 10 to 18 Spanish fishing boats in the area.