Christian Peregin
Newly-enforced rules irk amateur fishermen
More than 50 fishermen lined up the Valletta Waterfront yesterday morning for the annual Mr Fisherman competition, armed with reels, rods and a good measure of patience. All the fish caught were released but the fishermen taking part were unhappy about new regulations that force them to release fish that are not yet of adequate size.
Fishermen are up in arms about sustainability regulations that crack down on the catching of small fish.
The regulations have been in place since 2006 but, as no inspectorate team existed, enforcement was not carried out and so fishermen hardly knew about them.
"Now we have a team, so enforcement can begin. The truth is the fishermen's cooperative was informed throughout the process but they did not pass on the information to fishermen who now think these regulations are new," a spokesman for the Ministry of Resources and Rural Affairs said.
The rules list different species and the minimum size of a fish of each type that can be caught without having to be released.
Among other things, the rules lay down that fish caught from recreational boats cannot be used for commercial purposes and can only be sold for charity if the necessary approval is obtained. Swordfish caught for recreational purposes should be immediately released and cannot be kept on board or brought to shore. A special permission can be sought for the catching of tuna.
Fishermen taking part in a competition at the Valletta Waterfront yesterday said the regulations were an "obscenity" and had been drawn up without any consultation with any of their organisations.
One of the organisers of the competition said that if the ministry had carried out the necessary consultation it would have been informed that amateur fishermen only account for about one per cent of fish that are caught.
"Education is important but these regulations are not logical. The first thing they should have done is tackle professional fishermen, those who make a living out of catching fish. Many of these use fishing nets in breeding places like ports and bays. That should not be allowed and the mesh of the nets should be larger so that small fish would not get caught," he said.
He added that the government should also tackle the problem of trawling because this kind of practice ruined the seabed.
However, the ministry spokesman also said such suggestions had been taken into account when drawing up the regulations.
A number of fishermen were sceptical about how the new regulations could be enforced.
Taking the white sea bream as an example, one fisherman said it did not make sense to throw such a fish back into the water because it was smaller than 23 cm. "It's simply not going to happen. That kind of fish would fetch about €4.50 a kilo. And usually restaurant servings of about 350 to 400 grammes are about 16 or 17 cm long. It does not make financial sense to throw the fish back into the water."
Another fisherman said he guaranteed that such sizes of fish would continue to be seen at the fishmarkets in Valletta and Marsaxlokk. He said that with some fish it was not feasible to throw them back into the sea because they would not survive.
Another fisherman pointed out that when fish were caught commercially through nets and other methods, the fish would be dead before they were even collected.
The regulations apply to all kinds of fishing but amateur fishermen feel they should not be subject to such draconian measures because their catch is too insignificant to affect the level of sustainability of fish.
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ALEX CASHA
May 19th 2009, 19:40
guess now that fishing,hunting and trapping are going to be banned,the people are going to be very amazed of what are going to see in MALTA,many birds singing in trees with nests and large fish swimming around.keep on dreaming.I think that is better enforce to bring some work in MALTA because we are going worse every single day.the only difference that am seeing here in MALTA are large quantities of empty containers at halfar and freeport,people without a job.broken marriages.and a big disaster in economy.DO YOU LIKE TO WASTE MORE TIME ON HOBBIES NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fabian Borg
May 19th 2009, 17:37
I fully agree with L.GALEA.
The EU Brought some advantages but certainly many disadvantages.
Show we have the guts and get out running vroom............Beep Beep.
D. Caruana
May 19th 2009, 16:14
The usual,
Pick on the small and let the giants roam!!!
Amateur fishermen do nothing to the sustainablilty of fishing!!
Its the big boats, trawlers and nets you should be after.
First the hunters now you......who's next please?
r ferriggi
May 18th 2009, 11:45
to mr camilleri,
you are coming up with the ''i told you so'' argument.
so,,,, what is YOUR alternative??
that everyone does what they want in this country?!? destroy everything??
inhallu kulhadd jaghmel li jrid,,, ikisser, ifarrak u jeqred??
James Grech
May 18th 2009, 11:36
Dear Joe Camilleri,
this law existed in Malta for the last 30 years and more. It just was never enforced. Plus, I would want my children to be able to see a real fish when they grow up. It is therefore called sustainability. nothing to do with the EU.
But of course it is not what your ONE news tells you.. By the way, you know your Leader changed his version to being in favour of teh EU, so now all Labour supporters should do the same... I expect you too...
Edward Zammit
May 18th 2009, 11:15
"All restraints upon man's natural liberty, not necessary for the simple maintenance of justice, are of the nature of slavery, and differ from each other only in degree." - Lysander Spooner
Joseph Cauchi
May 18th 2009, 11:02
"Education is important but these regulations are not logical. The first thing they should have done is tackle professional fishermen, those who make a living out of catching fish. Many of these use fishing nets in breeding places like ports and bays. That should not be allowed and the mesh of the nets should be larger so that small fish would not get caught," he said.
I would also like to add another method used by the supposed professional fishermen: The use of EXPLOSIVES!
Why do we have to pick up on the small amateur fisherman and deny him the enjoyment of his innocent hobby?
Are these regulations meant perhaps also to defend the “selected” few of the local fish-farming industry, as they fear that the amateur fisherman might pose a threat to their industry?
I wouldn’t be surprised, because greed knows no bounds!
../..
lgalea
May 18th 2009, 11:00
All Maltese people unite and support the Campaign for National Independence www.cnimalta.org so that we leave the eu and its petty dictators who are regulating every second of our lives and are charging us €153,400 EVERY DAY for doing so apart from taking all customs duties and levies while we pay the customs officers to collect them, half of what we pay in VAT, etc and be able to repeal the Refugee Convention and not be bound by the Dublin II convention and send all the illegal immigrants in Malta packing.
LET'S GET OUT OF THE EU.
Anthony Magri
May 18th 2009, 10:58
Amateur fishermen do not forget to put a notice on your hook to warn small fish to stay away and not be caught because it is prohibited.
Similar notices could be erected by the Government on the sea shore where amateurs fishermen ply their hobby. Fish might know how to read!
Joe Camilleri
May 18th 2009, 10:04
Well guys, don't you know that we are in the EU. Now its your turn to face the EU regulations. At least you were not promised that fishing, as practised then, will continue.