Nick Griffin MEP, received a letter of thanks recently for his vote against the extension of the EU-Morocco fisheries agreement from Sara Eyckmans, the coordinator at the Western Sahara Resource Watch.

The WSRW stated, “We are grateful that you took your responsibility as an MEP to protect the European people’s interests, by rejecting a legally dubious, politically dangerous, environmentally unsustainable and economically wasteful agreement. 
 

 In doing so, Parliament has sent a clear message to the European Commission on this issue. The Commission has for some months been laying the grounds for negotiations for a new 4 year fisheries agreement with Morocco. If another agreement is to be proposed, it will have to give convincing answers to these key questions.”

This was a vote whether to accept the one year extension of EU fisheries in the Western Sahara.  It was voted down by the Parliament on the 14th of December 2011.  The agreement is entered into between the EU and Western Sahara's occupying power Morocco.

Reports made to the Commission showed that EU fisheries in Western Sahara are a waste of EU taxpayer’s money. 

These reports also show that it contributes to the destruction of marine life offshore of the Western Sahara.   The agreement violates international law because Western Sahara is not part of Morocco, so the people of the territory have never approved the fisheries agreement.

Nick supports justice for and fundamental principles such as dignity for the indigenous people of Western Sahara. On the 7th of December 2011, human rights defenders criticised the illegal EU plunder of the fisheries resources off the shores of occupied Western Sahara during a seminar at the Parliament.  

They accused the EU of keeping quiet regarding issues which affect the people of Western Sahara.  The EU has trade agreements with Morocco who occupies Western Sahara.  They are interested in the natural resources of this area which include phosphates, oil and fish.  

The conflict between Morocco and the Saharawi is Africa’s longest-running.  It is treated in the UN as an issue of decolonisation. Those Saharawi who aren’t living under brutal suppression by Morocco, are in refugee camps in the Algerian desert. 

As early as 2002, the UN decided that economic activities in Western Sahara were illegal and were not in accord with the wishes of the Saharawi people.  Multi-national companies ignore international law there and the EU with their trade agreements with Morocco has done the same.

The UN acknowledges the rights of the Saharawi people to self-determination over their own territories and their own natural resources.  Nick Griffin, MEP also understands the importance of the rights of indigenous people to self-determination over their homelands and their natural resources.

Morocco acknowledged rights after signing a cease fire treaty in 1991.  However, since signing this treaty, Morocco has done everything possible to silence the Saharawi. 

The EU exacerbates the issue by paying Morocco to fish in waters under their occupation, to the tune of €36 million per year.  They have had this agreement since 2007. According to the Agreement, fishing can take place in “the waters under the sovereignty or jurisdiction of the Kingdom of Morocco”. 

The FishElsewhere! Campaign believes that the European Union should have explicitly precluded Western Sahara from the agreement.  After 7 different written questions to the European Commission, it was finally confirmed by the EU Commissioner for fisheries that fishing had indeed taken place in occupied Western Sahara during 2007, under the EU-Moroccan Fisheries Partnership Agreement. 

The EU is guilty of exploiting their resources.  The agreement has no positive effect on the lives of Saharawi living in the occupied territory. 

The EU-Morocco fisheries agreement ignores the right of the Saharawi people to self-determination.  The Saharawi protest against exclusion which is met with resistance from the Moroccan occupiers.

Moroccan settlers, who were brought into the territory to change its demographics, receive jobs and houses from the Moroccan occupying regime. Sound familiar?

A year ago one of the camps which already suffered miserable social and economic conditions was brutally dismantled by Moroccan security forces.  This resulted in the death and injury of many Saharawi, and the arrests of many others. They are referred to a military court and have received no justice.

Under Moroccan occupation, Saharawi fishermen are prevented from fishing by Morocco and the EU.   Foreign vessels fishing in Western Sahara’s waters stop in Moroccan ports to pick up Moroccan workers. People in Western Sahara are employed through the Moroccan administration which discriminates against the Saharawi.

Saharawi fishermen are not allowed to enter the harbours when lucrative species are fished. These fishermen report the use of forbidden fishing techniques, like drift nets.  They say that waste is dumped into the ocean with no account for the consequences.

The occupying Moroccan Regime has received billions of Euros to exploit this illegally occupied territory.  Morocco is not recognised by the United Nations as the Administrative Power of this territory.   It is not in the position to sell Western Sahara fish resources or give licences to the EU.   The EU has made claims that the agreement is legal.  They have chosen to look the other way.  

What was Morocco’s response to the negative vote by the European Parliament?  

On the 14th of December the Moroccan foreign ministry of fisheries released this statement, "No fishing activity from the European fleet will be tolerated and all boats operating in the area of the fisheries agreement are asked to leave national territorial waters on Wednesday before midnight." This statement followed the decision in Strasbourg.