Warning shot across bows of Spaniards in tuna war

tuna war.

The fishing boat Ar-Bageergan was confronted by six Spanish vessels

and had her nets cut loose, the second Cornish vessel attacked in the

Bay of Biscay in 24 hours.

However, a Spanish Government spokesman backed its fishermen's claims

that British vessels were violating EC rules limiting nets to a maximum

2.5 kilometres (1.6 miles).

But Mr Michael Jack, Fisheries Minister, denounced Spanish fishermen

for using ''dangerous and outrageous'' methods. He was ''desperately

concerned'' about the risks to British fishermen.

''We have already sent a message to the Spanish Government insisting

that it ensures its fishermen do not take the law into their own

hands,'' he said.

''We have made it clear that any such action should be prevented by

the Spanish and any offenders dealt with appropriately. Well-founded

claims for compensation will be taken up on behalf of the industry.''

The Pilot Star was surrounded on Wednesday by 11 Spanish boats and had

its fishing gear cut away.

The fisheries protection vessel HMS Anglesey was sent to the area to

restore calm, but was about 20 miles away at the time of the latest

incident.

Both boats are now returning to their home port of Newlyn, Cornwall,

facing costs of #20-#30,000 each to replace their equipment.

Two British vessels remain in the area, and it emerged that one had

been threatened.

Mr Mike Townsend, chief executive of the Cornish Fish Producers'

Association, said a fisherman on board a Spanish vessel had waved an axe

menacingly at the Charisma crew on Wednesday.

Mr Rafael Conde, a spokesman for the Spanish fisheries ministry, told

ITN that certain British boats had been using nets longer than the 2.5km

limit.

Spanish fishermen claim British boats have been using nets of 6km (3.8

miles) or more, a charge the British strenuously deny.

Mr Richard Banks, chief executive of the National Federation of

Fishermen's Organisations, said: ''The Spanish are confused because we

have incorporated devices called doors which separate the nets. By

having the doors in, we allow dolphins to go through.''

This was a view echoed by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and

Food.

Mr Martin Jones, skipper of the Pilot Star, said that during the

attack the fishermen ''were shouting, waving and threatening us''.

''They grappled and cut our gear and it was very frightening,'' he

said.

Mr Townsend said: ''I am very worried by the reports I have had from

the skipper, because the skipper understood that a Spanish protection

vessel which was in the area actually gave the position of the boat to

his Spanish compatriots.

''Within an hour-and-a-half the wolf pack were surrounding him,

harassing him and threatening him.''

The Foreign Office in London said Britain had twice -- on Wednesday

and yesterday -- ''made clear its concern about allegations of

harassment'', through its embassy in Madrid to the Spanish fishing

ministry.

Shadow Fisheries Minister Elliott Morley said: ''There must be

concerted action by the Governments concerned to prevent this conflict

escalating further and putting more lives at risk.''

Meanwhile, officials in Dublin were last night seeking details of an

incident when an Irish trawler was reported to have its nets cut by

Spaniards.