Monday, 20th July 2009 - 10:29CET

NGO demands action on fish farm pollution

Nature Trust (Malta) has urged the authorities to investigate and act on complains from residents of Marsascala and Marsaxlokk on the high level of pollution coming from nearby fish farms.

"In the light of the seriousness of the situation, the NGO fails to understand why the authorities should be taking so long to move on this issue," the environmental NGO said.

It also urged the government to keep to its word and continue the process of moving the tuna farms further out as sea.

"Tuna penning close to our shores is having a negative impact on the coastal and marine ecology, polluting the surrounding areas and affecting tourism. A couple of years ago the government had said that all farms would be moved further offshore; however, to date all farms - both those in the North as well as those in the South of the Islands - are still located on our shores," Nature Trust said.

It also joined the World Wildlife Fund, of which it is a partner, in calling for a trade ban for the Blue fin Tuna to safeguard this species, of tuna which is in danger of disappearing due to overfishing and trading.

The NGO also insisted that the government's primary responsibility where the selling of tuna is concerned should be towards the local consumers of tuna. They often ended up paying excessive prices for the fish - if they managed to find it on sale at all - on account of the large volume of tuna exports.

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Article © Allied Newspapers Ltd., printed on Wednesday, February 10, 2010. This article is for personal use only, and should not be distributed.

Comments

Galea. L (on 20/7/09)

It simply needs an order for the fish farms to move at least 12 nautical miles out at sea to stop polluting our sea environment and causing disease to swimmers. When is the governemnt going to take the necessary action?

R. Mallia (on 20/7/09)

Another example of BICREF's sea pollution news that was reported by the Times of Malta on the 22nd of July 2004! “Half a kilometre stretch of sea was filled with floating dead fish few kilometers off Il-Hofriet last Friday. This was sighted by Dr. Adriana Vella, assisted by BICREF members during scientific marine surveys around the Maltese Islands. While the sight of these thousands of dead fish was revolting, their stench was even worse. BICREF is worried by the lack of inspections and effective implementations of measures to protect our marine environment and is sad to note that its fears, of having offshore developments work without the necessary assessments, monitoring and action, are confirmed to be reality.….......... BICREF has also taken note of several dead and decaying bluefin tuna strandings along our coasts, which peaked last September and October, luckily for swimmers not in the main swimming season. With all this one may wonder if simply moving all aquaculture to one corner of our islands will solve these problems and whether environmental impact assessments and MEPA have indeed ever taken care of the wider side affects these developments would have on our marine life and our quality of life.”

R. Mallia (on 20/7/09)

The Biological Conservation Research Foundation (BICREF) has been reporting and highlighting the problems associated with tuna penning and its coastal impacts for many years now. So it is not new to know of such issues. Some few other links of interest include: http://www.maltatoday.com.mt/2001/0909/local7.html http://www.independent.com.mt/news.asp?newsitemid=59587 http://www.bicref.org/bicref/jul102000.htm Also interesting is the recently aired BICREF's documentary “Waves of Life” on local tv stations which also clearly indicated the need to consider ways of reducing the impacts of Tuna penning on local marine biodiversity apart from the loss of Bluefin tuna stocks. Well done to BICREF for its long-standing work against environmental degradation and impoverishment of our seas. Hope you get all the support you need to continue with your valid work!

J.Bonnici (on 20/7/09)

What's the use of having swimmers' zones when fish farms are polluting these same zones?

Richard Curmi (on 20/7/09)

Come down to swim in even a light southerly wind in one of the beautiful rocky inlets in the Delimara peninsula and you can see the slimy fish soup daily. If you try and swim you will end up with a nasty smell and oil on you, apart that it`s always murky. Utterly disgraceful!
The fish farm in front of St.Peters Pool,so popular with foreign students is just 0.54 of a mile from the shore. It`s easy to calculate the distance using Google earth. Is this distance legal or what?
Does the government really want the tourists to keep coming to Malta? Tourist do not come soley for our heritage,they come to swimm too,and what do they find? SLIMY FISH SOUP on the surface. And what about some respect for the locals. Or have we become immune to the needs of the people. Action should be taken with immediate effect. This passive attitude cannot keep going, as if nothing is happening. The sea is part of us, we are surrounded by it ,yet we leave it to deteriorate. To the NGo`s I say keep the pressure up. Thank you.

a.camilleri (on 20/7/09)

we use these waters in the south quite often, these fish farms are an eyesore and its true that the sea is very murky to what it used to be, these fish farms should be moved far away and let the people enjoy the sea, i dont think thats much to ask after havin the freeport built under our noses!

Dion Borg (on 20/7/09)

The then parliamentary secretary George Pullicino had over a DECADE ago - declared that all fish farms will be relocated far out - i.e. barely visable from the shoreline.

A decade, a Minister, and Governmnets passed by.....and not only have the fish farms not been relocated but they increased in size and numbers!

The Mellieha and St. Paul's Bay Local Council are to be commended for coming out against dirt & pollution caused by BBQs (on sand) and Yacht Marinas - however it seems they remain peculiarly tight lipped as far as fish farms are concerned.

We have all seen that DCC Boards have come and go (but their decisions stick out) - and no one assumes any responsibility........are we going to let the same disaster continue to happen in our once pristine bays - the lifeline of our tourism income?

chris baluci (on 20/7/09)

I can confirm the impact on tourism. I had the occasion to accompany some foreigners to beaches in the south of malta (Delimara, etc), on a boat trip to st paul's islands and to gozo. They commented on the strong fishy odour, the murky (and smelly) sea and the shabby visual impact. They refused to swim near St Paul's Islands so we went by boat near the Ahrax tal-Mellieha cliffs. Guess what - more smelly fish farms. Welcome to tatty malta!

Ronald Camilleri (on 20/7/09)

Nature Trust are wholly right in my opinion. In addition to tuna farming having a negative effect on our tourism industry and beaches for the people's recreation, tuna has never been so expensive. Locally harvested goods should be at reasonable prices and a quota should be destined compulsarily for the local market. We are an island surrounded by sea and yet fish is so expensive to buy. Then we have the government urging people to buy more fruits, vegetables and fish for their children and themselves. But do the people afford these luxuries?? Most fruit, some vegetables and fish are the most expensive products in the fridge today. A meagre soppa tal-armla or a minestra will cost you much more than a plate of pasta with meat-sauce. And governments continue to spend millions in obesity campaigns feeding their friends in the advertising industries. Come on - work hard to keep prices for necessities down not spending millions prying people to buy fruit, veg and fish when you know they cannot afford them!!

nyal xuereb (on 20/7/09)

and what about St. Paul's Bay?

r ferriggi (on 20/7/09)

fish farms of the local type are a crime against the environemnt, against humanity.

let the government appoint independent unbiased investigators and we can see waht they say about it.

NGO demands action on fish farm pollution

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