Opposition to call for government solidarity with fishermen

The opposition yesterday gave notice of a parliamentary motion urging the government to show solidarity with local fishermen and condemn the incidents they were recently involved in with their foreign counterparts at sea.

The motion also demands that the government and authorities which could be involved take the necessary steps to protect the fishermen, their rights, their work and their livelihood, showing more tact in the way they were defended.

The motion was presented by Labour MPs Noel Farrugia and Gavin Gulia in the wake of last week's incidents, which saw a number of Maltese fishermen "pass through horrible and frightening experiences of intimidation when foreign tuna fishermen invaded the area in which they were fishing and went over their long fishing lines with their tugboats, causing extensive damage".

The Fishermen's Cooperative said last week that the fishermen were finding it impossible to carry out their job because their lines were being cut by foreign tugboats towing tuna cages.

The fisheries department was seeking compensation on behalf of the fishermen.

The motion says that the local fishermen were prevented from carrying out their job and had to return to land empty handed.

Mr Farrugia, MLP spokesman for agriculture, and Dr Gulia, spokesman for home affairs, gave a news conference at which they said the incidents at sea were threatening the fishermen, their industry and the consumer.

Mr Farrugia described the situation for Maltese and Gozitan fishermen as grave and said the opposition felt it needed to emphasise its disappointment and intensify its condemnation of the way the fishermen were treated.

Dr Gulia said the state was obliged to safeguard the interests of the Maltese. He expected the government to investigate and clarify the situation and not remain "passive".

The government was shunning its responsibility by not protecting the fishermen and their livelihood, he said.

The situation was preoccupying because it was not the first time it had occurred, he added. The fishermen were going about their own business and were not disturbing anyone when the foreign tugboats disrupted their fishing and damaged their equipment.

The situation had spurred the opposition to take action in the form of the parliamentary motion.

Dr Gulia said the AFM's patrol boats were there to intervene in such situations, but whenever their protection had been sought, it was never forthcoming.

Maltese citizens and their property were involved and, therefore, the government had to intervene, Dr Gulia argued.

Mr Farrugia said the MLP policy was in favour of selective fishing and not the destructive techniques employed by foreigners.