BRUSSELS, May 10 (Reuter) - European Union Fisheries Commissioner Emma Bonino welcomed on Wednesday a Spanish government decision to sanction a Spanish trawler for using illegal equipment.

Madrid withdrew a licence from the fishing vessel, Mayi Cuatro, which had been using an illegal net in Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organisation (NAFO) waters.

"It shows the desire of the EU and member states to honour commitments to improve fisheries conservation," Commission spokesman Joao Vale de Almeida quoted Bonino as saying.

The Spanish government also requested that an EU fisheries inspector check the vessel's fishing equipment when it arrived in a Spanish port.

Bonino said she hoped there would be no more illegal fishing by EU vessels.

"The credibility of EU fisheries policy is at stake and can't be put at risk by individual and irresponsible action," Bonino said.

The Spanish government's initiative was considered especially important, as next month NAFO will meet in Halifax, Nova Scotia, to endorse an EU-Canada fisheries agreement.

The bilateral accord, signed on April 21, ended a bitter six-week row over fishing rights in the North Atlantic and strengthened fisheries protection measures.