Conservation zone protects local fishermen

I refer to the article Big Fishing Zone Is Of Little Benefit to Maltese Fishermen (July 8) which is inaccurate.

As a result of Malta's accession negotiations, the 25-mile zone around the Maltese islands was designated as a special management zone under EU law.

The special measures applicable in this zone help to ensure the conservation of the marine habitat and the living marine resources within it.

Furthermore, far from the fishing zone being of little benefit to Maltese fishermen, the conservation measures imposed on fishing in this zone protect the livelihood of the bulk of our commercial fishermen who use small scale coastal vessels (smaller than 12 metres) and who, therefore, maintained their right to fish in the special management zone, because they do not exert a heavy fishing pressure on fish stocks.

In December 2008, the Maltese fishing fleet was composed of 1,126 commercial vessels, 91 per cent of which measured less than 12 metres.

Hence the establishment of this zone has been to the benefit of the vast majority of local professional fisherman.

Prior to the establishment of the conservation zone, all Maltese flagged trawlers could trawl up to the three-mile limit from the coast.

However, once the management zone was in place fishing within the zone was limited to fishing vessels smaller than 12 metres overall length using other than towed gears. Limited exceptions were granted to some trawlers and to vessels fishing with purse seines or longlines and vessels fishing for lampuki (dolphin fish).

Furthermore, only trawlers with engines smaller than 185 KW and with a length between 12 and 24 meters were given permission to fish in waters less than 200 metres deep while the fishing effort exerted by these vessels was restricted to 2001 levels.

This has resulted in four vessels having this special permit. In addition, there are another eight vessels between 12 and 24 metres long that may fish in the deeper part of the zone which is over 200 metres deep.

This strict regime was set up to conserve the habitat and the living resources within this zone.

This limitation of fishing effort allows fish stocks to maintain a viable population both within the zone and in adjacent areas.

Without going into the merits of the recent case involving a Sicilian trawler, it must be reiterated that illegal fishing in the zone and any trawling activity which goes beyond what is permitted, has negative repercussions on the benthic habitats that the Special Management Zone aims to conserve and this would result in lower fishing yields in and around the management zone.

The same strict regulations apply to all vessels, whether flying the Maltese flag or not.