Western Hemisphere 53
vessel did not have a French fishing license. The French released the trawler the next
day after Canada posted US$26,000 bond. Canada then suspended talks. On March
30, 1989, France and Canada agreed to submit the dispute to a court of arbitration, and
the court rendered a decision on June 10, 1992.
20 Canada/230 Spain
MID#4031
Dispute Number: 4031
Date(s): March 7, 1995 to April 16, 1995
Participants: 20 Canada/230 Spain
Outcome (and Settlement): Victory for side A (Negotiated)
Fatalities: None
Narrative: The Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO) comprised fifteen
states that fished off the Newfoundland coast and that wanted to regulate fish takes
in the area’s international waters. The 1994 quota was 45,000 tons; in 1995 NAFO
dropped the quota to 27,000 tons. The European Union rejected a proposed 13 per-
cent of the share and instead claimed a 69 percent share (in 1994 the EU share was
80 percent). On March 6, Canada imposed a two-month ban on fishing in the area
and ordered EU vessels to leave. Three days later Canadian patrol boats fired warning
shots, then boarded the Spanish trawler Estai outside Canada’s Exclusive Economic
Zone. They placed the crew under arrest. The EU refused to negotiate with Canada
until the trawler and crew were released. On March 15, Canada complied, and negotia-
tions began the next day. However, Spanish trawlers resumed fishing in the disputed
area until Canadian patrol boats forced them to leave on March 26. Discussions con-
tinued for weeks.
On April 6 protesters in Madrid threw dead fish at the Canadian embassy. Canada
and the European Union reached an agreement on April 16, whereby Spain would
reduce its catch by 75 percent. Canada would no longer exert authority in international
waters and would compensate for the detained trawler’s lost catch. Furthermore, the
agreement set new limits on mesh size and minimum fish size.
20 Canada/235 Portugal
MID#4550
Dispute Number: 4550
Date(s): May 29, 2005 to June 1, 2005
Participants: 20 Canada/235 Portugal
Outcome (and Settlement): Missing (Missing)
Fatalities: None