The future of spear fishing in Malta

After reading Cynthia Busuttil's report 'Illegal fishing nets still pose danger to divers' (The Sunday Times, July 6), I strongly agree with Christopher Bowd who says that nets should not be placed on wrecks and in bays.

I suggest that, at least, nets should be sited 200 metres away from the coast so that shallow waters will be free for snorkel divers. Why is it that whatever we do in Malta, we do it for the benefit of tourists? Are we second-class citizens?

At Wied Iż-Żurrieq I recently noticed a placard reading 'Spear fishing is illegal in Malta' and a list of dos and don'ts in smaller lettering.

I agree that spear fishing should not be practised on wrecks and conservation areas, but what is behind all this? Parliamentary Secretary Mario de Marco should know that 90 per cent of snorkel divers trying to catch an octopus or a fish are minimum wage earners or unemployed who are trying to make ends meet. Now that the hunters' backs are against the wall, is it now the divers' turn?

A few months ago, an ornithologist from Israel came to Malta to watch the Petrels. He insisted that if hunting is stopped during spring, Malta can compete with Israel for bird migration. Spring hunting was stopped and it was the worst bird migration season in the past 50 years.

Even the house sparrows have migrated from Malta and the sparrow population has decreased by 50 per cent over the previous years. There are people giving the impression that Malta will take over the Red Sea for its natural habitat. It is true that for years divers have been recording new species entering through the Suez Canal into the Mediterranean, like the cornet fish, dogfish, barracuda and many others which still have to be recorded. Unfortunately, this has been done at the expense of the local fish: the mullet has disappeared from our waters.

Are we going to make the whole island a conservation area for the benefit of tourists at the expense of the Maltese? Is diving going to be the sport of the few who can afford to have a boat and can go diving on reefs and by the cliffs?

What is behind the Tower of Babel at Fort Cambridge? Why is it that when the Maltese population is decreasing, more building permits are being issued? Is this a message to the Sliema residents that if they still want to enjoy the sea view, they have to find another place to live? Who is to live in these apartments?

Malta is becoming the property of a handful of foreigners, who owing to their position or financial status can influence our politicians on how we should live.

Enough is enough. We can't accept the fact that lots of foreigners come to Malta advising our politicians on the way we should live, promising heaven on earth, treating us like a bunch of idiots who can't take a decision about our future.