Underlying tensions were evident at sea yesterday, despite the uneasy truce that is holding while Gibraltar, Spain and Britain work to defuse the row over fishing. A Spanish conchero was at the centre of a brief morning standoff with vessels from the Royal Gibraltar Police when it started fishing in the area known as the boquete de poniente. The fishing boat was using rakes to scrape the bottom for shellfish, a technique that is illegal under Gibraltar nature laws. Its crew was fishing on the very edge of Gibraltar’s territorial waters in that area and, when asked to move by the RGP, initially refused. The fishermen insisted they were in Spanish waters and it took over an hour to convince them to move on. A Guardia Civil vessel was also at the scene monitoring the exchanges, but its crew did not intervene. Earlier in the morning, the RGP had moved on another Spanish fishing vessel was readying to lay nets. Its crew was asked to move outside British waters and complied without fuss. Politicians and officials from both sides of the border have been working hard to find common ground and avoid a confrontation at sea. A number of meetings have already been held and another round of talks is scheduled for May 3. There are several initiatives under consideration, including the possibility of a registration regime and EU financial support for fishermen.
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