Nature Trust (Malta) have announced that they further urge the Government to keep to its word and continue the process of moving the existing tuna farms further out as sea. Tuna penning closer to our shores is having a negative impact on the coastal and marine ecology, polluting the surrounding areas and affecting tourism. A couple of years ago the government had said that all farms would be moved further offshore; however, to date all farms – both those in the North as well as those in the South of the Islands – are still located on our shores.
They concluded by saying that, over the past weeks, Nature Trust (Malta) has been receiving many complaints especially from residents in Marsascala and Marsaxlokk on the high level of pollution coming from the close by farms when the currents are running from south east to north west. In the light of the seriousness of the situation, the NGO fails to understand why the authorities should be taking so long to move on this issue.
As the privileged Partner of WWF, Nature Trust (Malta) said that they have recently been notified by the WWF Mediterranean Policy Office that more countries are joining the call on a trade ban for the Blue fin Tuna. The NGO welcomes the initiatives being taken by various European countries to safeguard this species of tuna which is in danger of disappearing due to overfishing and trading. It also wishes to remind the competent authorities that Government’s primary responsibility where the selling of tuna is concerned should be towards the local consumers of tuna, who often end up paying excessive prices for the fish – if they manage to find it on sale at all – on account of the large volume of tuna export activity coupled with dwindling stocks. Hence, a clampdown on such exports would seem to be in order even from a socio-economic perspective.
1 Comment To "Nature Trust (Malta) press government on fish farm pollution"
#1 Comment By r.mallia On July 20, 2009 @ 7:16 pm
The Biological Conservation Research Foundation (BICREF) has been reporting and highlighting the problems associated with tuna penning and its coastal impacts for many years now.
Some few other links of interest include:
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[5]
[6]
Also interesting is the recently aired BICREF’s documentary “Waves of Life” which also clearly indicated the need to consider ways of reducing the impacts of Tuna penning on local marine biodiversity apart from the loss of Bluefin tuna stocks.
Another example of BICREF’s sea pollution news that was reported by the Times of Malta on the 22nd of July 2004!
“Half a kilometre stretch of sea was filled with floating dead fish few kilometers off Il-Hofriet last Friday. This was sighted by Dr. Adriana Vella, assisted by BICREF members during scientific marine surveys around the Maltese Islands.
While the sight of these thousands of dead fish was revolting, their stench was even worse. BICREF is worried by the lack of inspections and effective implementations of measures to protect our marine environment and is sad to note that its fears, of having offshore developments work without the necessary assessments, monitoring and action, are confirmed to be reality.………….
BICREF has also taken note of several dead and decaying bluefin tuna strandings along our coasts, which peaked last September and October, luckily for swimmers not in the main swimming season. With all this one may wonder if simply moving all aquaculture to one corner of our islands will solve these problems and whether environmental impact assessments and MEPA have indeed ever taken care of the wider side affects these developments would have on our marine life and our quality of life.”
Well done to BICREF for its long-standing work against degradation and impoverishment of our seas.