EU to fund new €4m fish market

A €4 million fish market will be built in a new location at Grand Harbour as part of a five-year, €11 million allocation to fisheries, considered the biggest investment ever to be made in this sector.

The European Union will be financing 75 per cent of the cost of the new fish market, which is to be re-located from the old building down by the seafront in Valletta known as the pixkerija.

EU sources said yesterday the project has been on the drawing board for a long time as it is felt that the current building cannot be modernised to EU standards. However, the new location is still to be identified.

The Times is informed that plans had already been in hand to build it at Marsa on a piece of land next to the abattoir. The project had to be dropped following the development of new plans for the regeneration of the Grand Harbour. Officials from the Department of Fisheries are now exploring new sites in the harbour area to find the best possible one.

The EU announced yesterday that Malta will be granted an €11 million allocation for its fisheries sector up to 2013. This is considered the biggest investment ever to be made in this sector. A total of €8.3 million will be allocated from the European Fisheries Fund while the government will be financing the other €3 million.

According to Malta's operational programme for the use of the fund, the biggest chunk of Malta's allocation, €5.4 million, will be dedicated to the new fish market project that will also incorporate the upgrading of other fisheries infrastructure such as landing, storage and inspection facilities at seven port locations.

More millions will go into the modernisation of the fishing fleet, with direct help being given to fishermen to upgrade their boats and for the further development of the aquaculture industry.

According to the EU, some funds will be specifically dedicated to the creation of a land-based hatchery and to target the rearing of new fish species.

Since joining the EU, Malta has already received some €3 million in EU funds for its fisheries sector. These were used for various projects including the improvement of fishing port facilities, particularly with the construction of a modern maintenance and repair facility for fishing vessels in Marsaxlokk.