BRUSSELS, June 6 (Reuter) - The European Union and Morocco are still some way from a new fisheries agreement after Morocco rejected EU proposals during a fifth round of talks last week, a European Commission spokesman said on Tuesday. Morocco has demanded cuts in EU fishing quotas of 30, 50 and 65 percent depending on the species, including sardines, squid and shellfish.
"The Commission presented quota proposals on Friday but found there was a very big difference about what both parties were ready to accept," Commission fisheries spokesman Marco Zatterin said.
A Moroccan delegate said the EU team proposed in Rabat cuts of 10 to 30 percent but this was rejected.
Angry Spanish fishermen have been blocking Moroccan fish imports into the southern Spanish port of Algeciras in a campaign to avoid a drastic cut in quotas in the new agreement.
Zatterin declined comment on the EU offer but said both sides wanted an agreement as soon as possible.
No date has been set for further talks.
The Commission, which negotiates for the 15-nation EU, will now consult member states, notably Spain, which held most of the fishing licences granted by Morocco under the previous accord.
EU Fisheries Commissioner Emma Bonino will hold talks with Spanish prime minister Felipe Gonzalez and Fisheries Minister Luis Atienza in Madrid on Friday.
Bonino is expected to ask the Spanish government to show more flexibility so that a deal can be struck.
Since the previous three-years fisheries agreement expired at the end of April, 650 Spanish fishing vessels have been excluded from Moroccan fishing grounds.
