HALIBUT have been the most unlikely cause of a diplomatic war between Canada and Europe since the days of the British Empire.
But the commandeering of a Spanish fishing trawler off its territorial waters and threats to prevent of other Spanish ships from fishing in the area threatens to awaken an animosity long buried.
At the heart of this latest incident is the depletion of fish, and the increasing competition among fishing naNo plaice for us? A young halibut tions. Whereas in 1938 the The nets are often 30 world fish catch was 15 mil- miles wide and are held belion tonnes and in 197864 tween two or more ships. million tonnes, by 2000 it is As they are not permeable, estimated to reach 100 mil- they catch and kill everylion tonnes. thing in their way - includThis phenomenal rise is ing unwanted marine life related to the advances in and young fish before they fishing technologies, particu- can mature and breed. larly on the giant commer- As the nets are not biocial trawlers. degradeable, when cut 20 000 jobs in Newfound- loose they can drift along land alone have already trapping larger marine anigone and the Canadian gov- mals like dolphins or entanernment spends C$400 mil- gling themselves in vessels. lion annually on those made Fishing on the high seas unemployed. is monopolised by big busiPart of the problem is ness which squeezes out inthat the nets used to catch dividual fishermen and fish are wasteful and often threatens the survival of dangerous. fishing communities.
The people who rely on fish for their protein intake are generally poor. As fish become scarce and as East Asian trawler companies catch for western and domestic markets, fish becomes unavailable and unaffordable to many in the Third World. This is of more long-term consequence than the present episode.
SOCIALIST OUTLOOK No. 81, April 8 1995, Page 4.
In the event, the response was respectable, but patchy. The low demands and low-