Diving schools association urges green light for marine conservation park

The Professional Diving Schools Association said it was taking an unacceptably long time for the Malta Environment and Planning Authority to give it the go ahead for a marine conservation park off Qawra.

A year ago the PDSA was asked by Mepa's Environment Management Unit to present a proposal for the setting up of the park, but so far it has not had any answer on its proposal, Emi Farrugia, chairman of a park action committee said.

Over the past few years, Malta has earned about Lm25 million annually from diving and related activities. There are 40 diving schools which promote Malta in international magazines and fairs.

The first application by the PDSA for the establishment of the park was made to the then Planning Authority in 1995.

The proposal has the backing of the Malta Tourism Authority.

"In July last year, in order to nudge the authorities, we anchored a cardinal buoy marking the site.

"The only result of having laid the buoy is for amateur fishermen to moor their boats to the buoy and fish on the wreck of the Imperial Eagle, defeating the very aim of having an artificial reef," lamented Mr Farrugia.

There are presently no marine protected areas in Malta.

Ivan Fenech, Malta Environment and Planning Authority public relations officer, pointed out when contacted that the necessary data on marine habitats only started to be collated over the last few years.

"Without this data, it is not possible to formulate a systematic process whereby marine protected areas can be designated.

"The designation would indicate the different levels of protection required within the conservation areas as well as the degree and type of socio economic activities allowed".

Agnes Upton, a director of Maltaqua and a representative of the PDSA noted that the PDSA would monitor the site against intruders.

"But we would be fighting a lost battle unless we have protection from the Mepa".

The wreck of the Imperial Eagle is helping Malta regain those divers who had looked for new pastures because the product was not good enough.

"Half of the dive sites have either become out of bounds or else have been degraded," Mrs Upton, who has been diving for the past 35 years noted.

"If you take a good look at what sites there are to draw divers, you would be appalled to find that a jetty was built in Paradise Bay, Anchor Bay is marred by sewage and the Black Rock at Ghar Lapsi has become out of bounds because of the reverse osmosis plant."

Experienced divers had stopped coming to Malta about five years ago because of the degradation of the dive sites.

"We started a programme of creating artificial reefs by sinking wrecks such as the Imperial Eagle and the Um el Faroud at Wied iz-Zurrieq.

"For a good number of years, diving magazines had stopped featuring Malta but now, the island is creating new interest because of these wrecks, as Malta is being rediscovered by tour operators."

In fact, the June 2003 issue of the diving magazine Scuba World includes a three-page feature on the wreck of the Imperial Eagle.

Diver Ned Middleton wrote among others: "... I congratulate those involved with the complex procedure of sinking the vessel - and getting it right!

"She came to rest perfectly upright on an even keel. Perhaps, those who try and sink massive warships off Florida Keys should first take lessons here.

"The Eagle is, of course, much smaller but a combination of her size and the prevailing depth makes this a very exciting dive." According to Mr Fenech, Mepa has been drafting guidelines for the designation, management and monitoring of marine protected areas in line with international obligations.

These guidelines identify the responsible agencies and stakeholders that would be involved in the implementation of management plans for designated sites.

"Mepa is in the process of undertaking the necessary consultation process prior to finalising and approving these guidelines.

"Following their approval, the designation process may be initiated on the basis of a prioritisation exercise whereby the current proposals will be reviewed.

"The Qawra proposal is one such site and will be assessed accordingly".

Mr Farrugia said the action committee planned to breed indigenous sea horses in aquariums to release them at the marine park as an added attraction.