REUTER - 13/3/95

MADRID The Spanish Defence Ministry is discussing sending a frigate to help protect Spanish fishing boats in the North Atlantic after Canada seized a Spanish trawler last week, the state news agency Efe reported on Monday.

A naval patrol boat, the Vigia, is already on its way to the area after Canada's seizure of the Spanish fishing boat Estai in international waters off Newfoundland last week for alleged illegal fishing.

The Vigia is expected to arrive later this week.

Efe said the decision to send a Santa Maria class frigate from the southern base of Cadiz needed the approval of Defence Minister Julian Garcia Vargas.

Foreign Minister Javier Solana told reporters a second ship was ready to go if necessary, but did not specify what sort of vessel.

Solana said Spain had now started procedures to lodge a formal complaint against Canada with the International Court of Justice in the Hague.

Spain was suspending all bilateral visits with Canada and expected the European Union to do the same, Solana said.

The EU and Canada are disputing rights to fish for Greenland halibut, also known as turbot, in international waters off Canada's east coast.

In the Galician port of Vigo, home of the Spanish fishing boats operating off Newfoundland, a senior executive of the local shipowners' cooperative said Canada was demanding a guarantee of 500 million pesetas ($3.85 million) to free the Estai.

The captain of the Estai, Jose Davila, has been freed on bail of some $5,500 pending a court appearance on Tuesday.

Other Spanish and Portuguese fishing boats in the North Atlantic were reported to be gathered on the edge of the fishing grounds awaiting further guarantees of protection against Canadian actions.