Artificial reefs placed off Balluta Bay

The Malta Environment and Planning Authority has laid down a number of artificial reefs off Ballutta Bay between the Sliema seafront and Dragonara Point, aimed at turning the sea around St Julians into a potential diving attraction.

Environment Minister George Pullicino said that the exercise formed part of a number of initiatives within the Environmental Initiatives in Partnership Programme (EIPP).

The artificial reefs project cost Lm30,000 and the funds came from the Hilton and Portomaso Marina "planning gain" - an amount of money paid by developers of major projects to embellish the environment.

The aim of the EIPP is to enhance and protect Malta's natural environment and cultural heritage using funds secured through the planning gain.

This was often sought by Mepa as a means of social, environmental and economic benefits for the community as compensation for impacts that could result from a particular development and which could not be reasonably mitigated, planning director Christopher Borg said.

Mepa director general Godwin Cassar said the project aimed to scientifically assess the impact of artificial reefs on the marine environment. The colonisation of the reefs by marine life would be monitored and quantified, the effects of different materials for the construction of the reefs would be tested and the potential a diving attraction in the area would be explored.

The design and material used for the reefs will also be part of the study. A pyramid structure consisting of five units with several holes and cavities was constructed. Of the four reefs that have been deployed, two have been constructed out of globigerina limestone, the other two of concrete blocks.

Dr Cassar said that in order to obtain the most accurate data from the studies, both fishing and diving were to be initially prohibited in the reef area, including in a 150-metre buffer zone. This would be followed by a gradual relaxation of the restrictions.

Two seasonal studies on fish communities, invertebrates and sediment are to be conducted next year.

The project is being carried out in collaboration with the Marine Ecology Research Group of the University of Malta (Department of Biology).

The minister said that another 30 projects were planned for the coming months and years within the EIPP.

Three initiatives costing a total of Lm36,000 have been concluded and work was currently ongoing on another three, including the artificial reefs.

He said that in the first week of EU membership, Mepa submitted more than 50 applications for environmental projects to the European Union.

This led to a financing of €2.1 million for the Maltese environment. These funds were to be used in training, strengthening of the administrative capacity, the buying of equipment, education, and research and development of IT systems.

Mepa also applied for four projects for a transitional facility amounting to Lm500,000. It submitted three projects under the European Regional Development Funds amounting to another Lm1.2 million.