Black Shadows Scattered in the Rough Currents of the Atlantic off the Spanish Coast Galicia's European Maritime Crisis in the 1990s

Black Shadows Scattered in the Rough Currents of the Atlantic off the Spanish Coast Galicia's European Maritime Crisis in the 1990s
The Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Galicia, in the northwestern tip of Spain, is a strategic point for European shipping, but it is also known as a difficult place with rough currents and a complicated coastline. In the 1990s, the area was the scene of a series of spills, mainly of large tankers, which resulted in the mass mortality of seabirds and catastrophic damage to the shellfish fishery, which was reported internationally. Galicia, in particular, was directly hit by strong ocean currents, and when oil spilled, it quickly spread over a wide area and directly shook the local community.

While Spain was promoting EU integration at the time, coastal fisheries were the foundation of the local economy, and the oil slick that swept over the beaches meant the collapse of livelihoods. The images of oil-covered seabirds and fishermen washing their nets had a strong impact on the whole of Europe, and the risk of maritime accidents in the Galician sea area had been accumulating due to the increase in the number of old tankers since the 1970s.

The series of accidents in the 1990s led to a change in EU maritime policy, and the European Commission promoted reforms that would later lead to the Erika Act, such as strengthening the maritime surveillance system, eliminating obsolete vessels, and tightening regulations on ship registration. The web records of local residents and volunteers cleaning up the oil-covered rocks show that the accidents off the Spanish coast were symbolic of the fragility of Europe's maritime governance.