Illegal fishing nets still pose danger to divers

Diving in Malta is becoming an increasingly dangerous pastime as fishing nets continue to be laid illegally in marine conservation areas.

A night dive on Friday could have had serious consequences for three divers who came close to being entangled in a net in a conservation area off Marsascala's Zonqor Point.

Sub-aqua club diving officer Christopher Bowd, who was among the three divers, told The Sunday Times that one of his friends was "just a couple of centimetres away" from the net, and could easily have become entangled.

Moreover, he said, the net was triple-layered, making it all the more difficult to cut.

"Had there been any inexperienced divers, or had we been a bigger group, I fear that someone could have died," he said.

Mr Bowd noticed the net when he spotted a fish hanging in an unusual manner, which made him stop in his tracks. "We were lucky that the visibility was better than usual," he said.

Regulations issued by the Malta Maritime Authority earlier this year barring fishing around wrecks designated as conservation areas are being flouted by fishermen.

Mr Bowd's concerns were echoed by Professional Diving Schools Association public relations officer Simone Brinch-Iversen, who said divers regularly reported fishing nets over wrecks.

"If a diver gets caught in a net, it could have very serious consequences," she said.

Although divers regularly report illegally-laid nets to the police, Ms Brinch-Iversen said it takes time for the Administrative Law Enforcement (ALE) section to arrive on site.

Very often, she said, the fishermen would have lifted their nets and fled by the time police arrive. She also pointed out that the ALE is not monitoring the sea round the clock.

Apart from posing a danger to divers, nets destroy the artificial reefs created by wrecks which attract foreign divers to the island.

She pointed out that Malta was competing with other diving destinations, including the Red Sea, making these reefs of utmost importance.

Parliamentary Secretary for tourism Mario de Marco stressed the importance of diving for the local tourism market, saying it attracted more than 60,000 people in 2006 and around the same number last year.

Dr de Marco said he was all for pushing for more active enforcement, although he added that the ALE was doing its utmost to patrol the waters.

"I am aware of this abuse, and while I have full faith in the ALE, we can always do more," he said.

Dr de Marco said he would be discussing the issue with the ALE tomorrow and a monitoring committee set up to keep an eye on tourism would also be looking into the issue.

Questions sent to the police yesterday remained unanswered.