Malta has been chosen to host the 2015 meeting of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT).

The Government said that it welcomes this decision, which was taken unanimously during the workings of the ICCAT Plenary Session currently underway in Genoa, Italy. Malta was represented by Dr Andreina Farrugia Fenech.

Parliamentary Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Rights Roderick Galdes noted how this achievement for Malta follows the receipt of last week’s ‘full compliance certificate’ by the European Commission, in relation to the implementation of ICCAT Recommendations and EU Regulations.

The meeting, which will be attended by some 600 delegates from all over the world, will be held in November 2015.

“The Maltese Government considers the ICCAT meeting as very important, in view of the fact that Malta is the leading farming country for blue fin tuna, with the industry generating more than €100 million annually,” Roderick Galdes underlined.

The Government said that numerous attempts to host the conference in Malta have been held since 2009.

Established by International Convention in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1966, ICCAT is the only fisheries organisation that can undertake the range of work required for the study and management of tunas and tuna-like fishes in the Atlantic, including the Mediterranean.

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