BC FISH SPAIN 1STLD (SCHEDULED)/Spanish government urged not to ratify fish deal

By Keith Grant

MADRID, April 17 (Reuter) A weekend deal that halted a bitter fisheries war between Canada and the European Union drew angry reaction on Monday from Spain's fishermen and opposition politicians who urged the government not to ratify it.

Accusing the ruling Socialists of weakness, the centre right Popular Party said it was asking the government to "withdraw its support for the (European) Commission in an affair which has seriously affected Spanish interests."

The government has described the deal as the best possible, and Labour Minister Jose Antonio Grinan said on Monday he would consider aid for Spanish fishermen who lose their jobs.

But the mayor of Vigo, the Galacian home port for Spanish boats which triggered the five week dispute over turbot fishing off the Canadian province of Newfoundland, said the deal gave Canada all it wanted and Galicia would fight it.

"We will take this to the Spanish and European parliaments and mobilise protests, because this is a war we are going to win," Carlos Gonzalez Principe told a news conference.

The agreement, which Spanish fishermen say will cut their catch by 75 percent and double Canada's, has also raised hackles here over British and Irish support for Canada in the dispute.

Foreign Minister Javier Solana said British Ambassador David Brighty had been called to his ministry to hear Spain's displeasure at Britain's attitude during the confrontation.

"The ambassador is being called to the ministry today and he will be informed of Spain's displeasure at Britain's attitude from the beginning of this dispute until the very end," he said.

The deal gives the EU a 41 percent share of the 27,000 tonne total catch set this year by the North West Atlantic Fishing Organisation (NAFO), and the same quota for both the EU and Canada on the catch fixed for 1996.

The Spanish government has taken heart from a clause in the agreement that obliges Canada to repeal a law allowing it to seize vessels fishing outside its 200 mile limit.

But in Galicia, fishermen's leaders predicted the cut of around 80 percent from the 30,000 to 35,000 tonnes fished in 1994 will mean the loss of an estimated 8,000 land jobs.

Spain is not withdrawing a complaint filed with the World Court of Justice in The Hague, nor a visa requirement for visiting Canadians, imposed after Canada last month seized a Galician fishing vessel, the Estai, in international waters.

Galicia president Manuel Fraga on Monday wrote to the British ambassador expressing his "surprise and disgust" at Britain's failure to support Spain, and attacking Canada for its aggression against Spanish fishing boats.

"The Canadian government has assumed powers in the open seas, its ships have attacked Galician boats which were fishing legally...and was instransigent in the negotiations," he said.

United Left leader Julio Anguita accused Prime Minister Felipe Gonzalez of abandoning Spanish interests and said the EU gave way to Canadian aggression in seizing the Estai.

In Galicia, the hub of Spain's fishing industry, the weekend deal continued to provoke anger and dismay.

"This is nothing more than charity, it's worthless. In a month or so everyone will have to go home and tie up the fleet," said Agustin Pastoriza, a Vigo ship captain, told Efe radio.