Excise duty-free fuel for fishermen

Government on Friday signed an agreement to provide local fishermen with fuel for their vessels for which it will not levy excise duty.

Speaking at the signing with the two fishermen's co-operatives, Parliamentary Secretary Francis Agius said: "Government is today fulfilling a promise to the fishermen of Malta and Gozo, who are being given more advantageous conditions of excise duty-free fuel."

Thanks to this agreement, a new procedure, which is more accountable and transparent, is to be adopted to regulate the allocation of this fuel. The agreement is a follow-up to the agreement signed in May 2000 and fulfils an electoral pledge.

Excise duty-free fuel is to be allocated according to how much fish is caught and sold at the fish market. Dr Agius said vessels consumed more fuel when they were trawling and according to their equipment.

One rate is 55c of the value of the fish sold and for fishing vessels with other equipment, 75c of the value of the fish sold. Vessels registered under the part-time category will also be taken into consideration.

Vessels equipped with a satellite surveillance system (VMS) will also have to submit their data for greater accountability and to enable the consumption of extra fuel to be verified.