71.   The waters off Namibia are also a traditional fishing ground for Spanish fishermen and Namibia is eager to conclude an overall agreement on quotas with the EU.

72.   It came after Spanish fishermen claimed that Canadian patrol vessels had tried to board and to cut the nets of a Spanish trawler off Newfoundland overnight.

73.   Spanish fishermen are particularly vulnerable because fishing is less industrialised than elsewhere in Europe.

74.   Spanish fishermen on Tuesday reported that two French fishing boats were using illegal drift-nets, a spokesman for Greenpeace ship Rainbow Warrior announced.

75.   Spanish fishermen returned Wednesday a French boat they had seized last weekend in a bitter fishing row, the Spanish ministry of agriculture and fisheries announced.

76.   Spanish fishermen also vowed not to put to sea again until French and Spanish officials had reached a final solution to the dispute.

77.   Spanish fishermen have frequently accused the French of using drift-nets that are longer than allowed.

78.   Spanish fishermen on Tuesday blockaded several ports in the north-west of the country and also the French port of Hendaye, to protest allegedly illegal French tuna fishing methods.

79.   Spanish port workers had refused to unload it, in solidarity with Spanish fishermen.

80.   Spanish fishermen accuse the French of violating EU and international law by using driftnets that enable them to make bigger catches.