Ivan Camilleri, Brussels
EU stays out of tuna war
The European Commission has no intention of entering the fray between Maltese fishermen and conservationists over bluefin tuna, despite Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil's urgent request for Brussels to take a stand. The Commission followed the reported incidents on the high seas between tuna ranchers Fish and Fish and the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society but felt it had no role to play in the issue, sources have told The Times.
"This is being treated by the Commission as an issue of public order and it's the duty of Maltese authorities or those authorities who have competence in the areas where the incidents allegedly took place to intervene and settle the dispute," an EU official said.
"We are not a policing organisation and we can't enter into this sort of incident where one side alleges to be attacking the other and vice versa.
"As long as no EU rules have been broken, then it is an issue for the competent policing authorities to handle."
Dr Busuttil yesterday filed an urgent parliamentary question on the issue. He said the reported incidents led to injuries and to damage to the tuna operators' property and asked the Commission for its official position on the Sea Shepherd's actions.
"Does the Commission consider its (Sea Shepherd's) actions legal? And what is it doing to avoid further escalation?" Dr Busuttil asked.
The EU has been tightening the grip on bluefin tuna fishing in the Mediterranean as evidence points to a collapse in the fishery in the coming years. Despite the UN Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species' (Cites) having rejected an EU-backed ban on international trade of bluefin tuna, Brussels recently insisted it was still in favour of this ban and would be working to achieve it in the coming years.
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karen lyons kalmenson
Jun 25th 2010, 19:07
animals should not be on our dinner plates save the world before it is too late there should not be a tuna war tuna should not be eaten anymore man unite for our a vegetarian planet let the tuna swim free do not try to can it!!!!
victor rodenas
Jun 23rd 2010, 10:16
If a ship flies a pirate `s flag,..........it is a pirate ship!
erwin boydens
Jun 26th 2010, 00:27
i prefer to be a pirat preventing murder than a murderer
J. J. Borg
Jun 22nd 2010, 20:06
Seems pretty clear to me why this does not yet fall within E.U. competency. Of course there are some who will seize any opportunity to criticize the E.U. L-ikbar trux min ma jrudx jisma.
David Caruana
Jun 22nd 2010, 18:45
"Dr. Lawrence Gonzi must of course support the tuna farmers. It is an industry that brings in over one hundred million Euros into the Maltese economy although it also takes jobs away from traditional artisanal fishermen, it does however put enormous the profits into the pockets of a very few and those few make sure that politicians are taken care of to their satisfaction."
Paul Watson, Captain
Saviour Cauchi Jr
Jun 22nd 2010, 18:29
The Maltese and other counrties have been over fishing the Mediterranian for many many years and Now you can see the affects that it is having on all the countries along the Mediterranian Sea. Fishing is at an all time low in all categories and beaches are infested with jellyfish year after year on a regular basis. What the Sea Shepard is doing is drawing attention to a subject no one wants to admit to, that the fishing industry is dying! What happened on the sea last week was the Maltese workers on the boat getting to aggressive with the Sea Shepard and they hurt them selves (just watch the video). The E.U will not get involved because IT KNOWS that the Maltese are WRONG in this subject and they cannot prove other wise, that is why they chose to leave it alone. Living in Malta you realize the goverment here, does not and will not tell the truth because there is too much money for the politicans to make for the so called blue fin tuna trade. Open your eyes and look at it from both sides.
lgalea
Jun 22nd 2010, 22:15
Saviour Cauchi Jr do you really believe that it is the Maltese fishermen who have been overfishing the Mediterranean? What about the Spanish, Greek, French and other nations who are known for their destructive fishing?
Andrew Farrugia
Jun 22nd 2010, 16:41
Stop mixing up issues with racist agendas.
lgalea
Jun 22nd 2010, 14:43
How's that for brotherly protection, unity and solidarity?
Andrew Gatt
Jun 22nd 2010, 12:58
How ironic! The EU moved faster than the speed of light to protect turtle doves and quail (which ironically are prolific and non-endangered) and came down on Malta like a ton of bricks. Warnings, court cases, threats of fines, the greenies network working overdrive.........and now the EU butts out!
Some sense of priorities, eh!?!
S Vella
Jun 22nd 2010, 12:24
"We are not a policing organisation and we can't enter into this sort of incident where one side alleges to be attacking the other and vice versa.
"As long as no EU rules have been broken, then it is an issue for the competent policing authorities to handle."
Unquote..Isn't the EU rigorously adopting all IMO (International Maritime Organisation) Conventions, or is it just convenient to say the above to accomodate and not to have any conflict with Holland where the Pirate Ship SEA SHEPPHERSD is registered??? All the EU Reps have to see is the title of a Biography Video of Pirate (so called Captain) Paul Watson...the title is PIRATE FOR THE SEA. A title that is self explanatory
Mark Seychell
Jun 22nd 2010, 12:18
Since the EU are staying out of it, the Government should authorise the AFM to use any means necesary to protect our fisherman. Even the use of force.
Raymond Sammut
Jun 22nd 2010, 18:52
They are not "staying out of it". Please read again: "Brussels recently insisted it was still in favour of this ban and would be working to achieve it in the coming years." This is exactly what Sea Shepherd and Greenpeace are also trying to achieve. It's only Dr Gonzi, and the buyers in Japan, who are trying to stop them in spite of the scientific evidence coming out from ICCAT (The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas). All you need to do is to visit their site and do a bit of research of your own. You would then discover what Dr Gonzi has been wanting to ignore all along.
Andrew Farrugia
Jun 22nd 2010, 10:21
"an issue of public order and it is the duty of Maltese authorities .....an issue for the competent policing authorities to handle". Definitely, Sea Shepherd are outlaws and renegades; even Greenpeace do not wish to be associated with them in any form or manner. Just click on Sea Shepherd website and you will find an article denigrating Greenpeace for "betraying the whales".
Pirate Watson needs to be immediately apprehended and prosecuted.
John Borg
Jun 22nd 2010, 17:05
Watson is no 'Pirate' and I think you need a break.
Jon Cornforth
Jun 25th 2010, 20:27
Capt Paul Watson has no criminal convictions or out-standing arrest warrants, and travels freely around the world on his passport. So do the rest of the Sea Shepherd volunteers. They are doing the job that the governments of the EU should be doing, which is dismantling illegal fishing operations. Pirates have always fought other pirates.