The Malta Hotels and Restaurants Association praised the Malta Environment and Planning Authority for not approving more tuna farms in Maltese waters.

The association said that without entering into the merits or otherwise of the possible damage to the seabed and the claimed pollution to the sea itself, it strongly opposed both the existing and any future proposed tuna farming in the vicinity of beaches or areas frequented by tourists.

It said divers persistently complained about the tuna pens when diving in St Paul`s Bay and nearby areas.

The MHRA said the mere sight of such farms in the vicinity of areas frequented by tourists created a negative feel and sometimes even instilled the fear in tourists of large fish being attracted.

The association was echoing recent comments by Tourism Minister Michael Refalo who voiced concern over the effect of tuna penning farms on tourism, saying they should either move further out to sea or close down if they were harming the industry.