PL Leader Joseph Muscat announced a meeting with fishermen in Marsaxlokk on Saturday that a new Government will appoint a politician who will be responsible for the agriculture and fisheries sector. He said that “this person’s duty will include listening and taking action upon issues raised by fishermen and farmers, both on a personal level as well as through their co-operatives.”
The Labour Leader said that the fact that, particularly in the fisheries sector, all action that can be taken has to conform with EU regulations. Muscat explained how a new Government would strive to give all possible advantages, always in line with European regulations, so that the Maltese fisherman is able to compete and develop.
Dr Muscat continued “that through the last years, the agriculture and fisheries sectors have been sidelined, due to the fact that they became part of a huge Ministry, which is as stated by the fishermen themselves, when they went to present their issues they found closed doors.”
Muscat stated that, “A new Government will be setting up a consultative board which will include representatives of the co-operatives who will meet the politician responsible at least once a month. This same board will be assisting Government in presenting the issues in European fora, in order to be able to influence certain directives issued by the EU itself.”
The PL Leader affirmed that if a closed season occured, resulting in impeding fishermen from doing their job, “fishermen should be given due compensation.”
During the same discussion, there were various interventions from the co-operatives’ representatives as well as from the fishermen themselves. The Deputy Leader for Party Affairs, Toni Abela, also attended this meeting.