That Time That Canada Went To War With Spain
The year is 1995 and a Spanish fishing trawler, Estai, is fishing just outside of Canada's 200 mile EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) in what is called the 'nose' and 'tail' of the continental shelf off of Newfoundland.
Canadian warships approach, the Estai cuts its nets and runs. The Canadian warship chases and eventually seize the trawler beginning what is known as the 'Turbot War'. The Canadians claim the vessel was over-fishing their turbot quota. Quotas were set by the NAFO (North Atlantic Fisheries Organization) which is an international organization with member countries from all over the world.
It was a sensitive time because of collapse of the population of the cod fishery caused serious economic hardship and the local population in Canada was in no mood to see over-fishing and the collapse of another fish species in the north-western Atlantic near Newfoundland.
It was found that the captain of the Spanish ship kept two different sets of log books to record his catch. This is a common trick of corrupt captains who catch more than their quota and then submit only one logbook containing fudged figures while keeping the actual over quota figures in the second logbook for their own records. This is the reason why the Estai cut its nets and tried to rub from the Canadian forces.
The EU Fisheries Commissioner said the Estai was fishing in international waters and called the seizure “an act of organized piracy” and the Spanish demanded that the Canadian government return the ship.
Two weeks after this, a Canadian ship cuts the nets of a Portuguese vessel, the Pescamar 1 as well as the nets of two more Spanish vessels, the Juan Antonio Nores and Ana María Gandón.
The Canadian-Spanish relationship become tense and Spain even sends a warship to protect its fishermen.
The dispute split European countries over who they supported. Britain and Ireland took Canada’s side, many British and Irish trawlers flew the Canadian flag to show that they supported Canada.
In Closing
The 'War' was eventually settled diplomatically with no shots being fired.
The event was remarkable because both countries were members of NATO and the warships on the two sides were reported to have come close to actual armed conflict. In fact, it was reported that the Canadian Prime Minister Jean Chrétein had authorized the Canadian navy to fire at any armed Spanish Navy ships that sailed in or around Canada’s EEZ.
