The Cook Islands High Court has declined Crown Law's request that an application for a judicial review and interim injunction on a fishing deal with the European Union be struck out.
The deal was partially concluded last month and would give years of access in the Cook Islands Exclusive Economic zone to Spanish purse seiners.
Traditional chiefs in the Cooks and the environmental group, Te Ipukarea Society, had launched what is a first of its kind legal bid to stop the EU deal and Justice Christine Grice has allowed them to continue.
She has advised local businessman, William Framhein, who is leading the chief's bid, to seek legal counsel and she gave both applicants until the end of next month to replead and to remedy any "legal defects" in their applications.
