UK MP : Spain's Fishermen are "a Menace"

 

The online edition of a local newspaper in the UK has reported how the MP for East Devon has complained to Westminster over Spain's aggressive fishing practices off UK Coastal waters.

Neil Parish, Conservative MP for Tiverton and Honiton, drew parallels with Spain's complaints over their fishing industry being damaged due to the recent construction of the artificial reef off Gibraltar, where he noted how no other country more than Spain "muscles in" when it comes to fishing.

The Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee member was speaking during a debate on the fishing industry as discussion turned to reforms to the EU's common fisheries policy (CFP), which seeks to improve fish stocks.

After a fellow Tory MP had referred to Spain having historic rights to fish in UK waters before 1973, Mr Parish told her: "When you talk about Spain and Spain getting access to basically what was historically our waters I think one of the problems is right back to the Common Fisheries Policy, because once you have a Common Fisheries Policy then everybody muscles in – and nobody more than Spain.

"Spain will hoover up fish not only off of our shores but off the shores of Africa, anywhere she can find it and she is a menace and I am quite happy to say that in this House."

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