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Thursday 5 January 2012

Potential Spanish block to discards reform.

Just one of the biggest fishing fleet in the world  - a flagged Spanish fishing vessel - photo courtesy of Nathan Marshall.
The incoming Spanish government is coming under intense diplomatic pressure to fall in line with EU proposals to ban wasteful fishing practices, after a leaked document showed that the previous administration was planning to derail the plans.

The government must choose between supporting its new allies in the EU, on which Spain's economic future depends, or bowing to its powerful fishing industry.



As Europe's biggest fishing industry, Spain could hold the key to the success or failure of the reforms, which would prevent fishermen discarding edible fish at sea.