A seminar on the unethical EU fisheries in occupied Western Sahara took place this week at the European Parliament.
The seminar, entitled Fishing in the Sahara: the challenges involved in the EU fisheries in occupied Western Sahara, was organised by the Intergroup on Western Sahara at the European Parliament and co-hosted by Western Sahara Resource Watch.
The meeting was opened by MEP Jill Evans.
John Gurr of Western Sahara Resource Watch outlined some of the unethical aspects of the agreement, including the political controversies and how it violates international law. Download Gurr's PowerPoint-presentation here.
Swedish MEP Åsa Westlund described why Sweden voted against the agreement in 2006, while the Saharawi activist Elmahjoub Maliha explained how the agreement is perceived by Saharawis in Western Sahara.
Maliha stated that no Sahrawis in the occupied territories were consulted as to whether they wanted the agreement or not.
The EU considers to pay Morocco to fish in occupied Western Sahara. An EU-Morocco Fisheries Agreement from 2013 would be both politically controversial and in violation of international law.
The international Fish Elsewhere! campaign demands the EU to avoid such unethical operations, and go fishing somewhere else. No fishing in Western Sahara should take place until the conflict is solved.
