Alfred Sant has told the European Parliament that the rights and interests of traditional fishermen in member states especially in small island communities, as in Malta should be safeguarded.

Adding that, the “EU is not respecting the rights and interests of traditional fishermen both within and outside the EU.”

“Traditional fishermen rightly feel that they are being placed in an unsustainable position. Fishing quotas have been assigned to member states on a one-size-fits-all basis, as in the allocation of tuna quotas in the Mediterranean,” he said.

Sant point out that also in the way by which the quota system and the discards arrangements have been designed, small scale traditional fishermen were squeezed even harder, while incentives were implemented to encourage them to give up their work. “The lifework of these fishermen, if it is maintained and encouraged, could in no way undermine the operations of the single market in the fisheries sector.”

Dr. Sant voted with reservations in the EP in favour of a sustainable fisheries partnership agreement between the EU and the Republic of Senegal.

He told the EP that it is important that fisheries agreements concluded by the EU with third countries from the developing world seek to safeguard the rights of traditional fishermen while allowing for modern development of the fisheries industry.

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