Tuna wars start early as Malta’s fishermen oppose farming ban

Maltese fishermen have rejected attempts by international en-vironment groups to push a total ban on tuna ranching in the Mediterranean.

Such a crackdown would destroy Malta’s lucrative industry, which has grown from strength to strength over the last few years with exports to Japan reaching some €80 million worth of tuna.

As hundreds of delegates including scientists, fishermen and representatives from all over the world convened in Istanbul, Turkey, yesterday for a 10-day marathon session of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tuna (ICCAT), the World Wildlife Fund issued a damning report.

It alleged a full-blown un-derground trade by tuna ranchers and recommended that such farming be banned.

The Maltese industry immediately shot down the report branding it “usual hy-steria” before the start of ICCAT meetings.

The WWF report claims that the current fishing capacity in the Mediterranean is double the 12,900 tons of fishing quota allowed by the EU to be caught between the seven member states fishing bluefin tuna.

The report also complains about the lack of transparency of tuna ranches, saying the industry under-reports the amount of fish fattened in their cages.

“Recent scientific study submitted to ICCAT’s scientific committee (SCRS) this year shows that biomass growth in farms is typically much lower than reported by the farming industry,” the report states.

“It is only 20-30 per cent, compared to given values of over 100 per cent, which raises concern over the potential for laundering bluefin tuna catches in Mediterranean farms.

The organisation said that full traceability in farms continues to be impossible as there is no way of knowing how much tuna is transferred to them.

However, WWF’s claims are being contradicted staunchly by the Maltese industry, which insists that tuna farming activities are transparent.

John Refalo, from the Federation of Maltese Aquaculture Producers, described the allegations as usual scaremongering, aimed at influencing the decisions to be taken by ICCAT.

“What the NGOs do not say is that strict controls exist and are being adhered to,” Dr Refalo said.

“Take for example the case of the Maltese farms. Any fish which is inputted has to be transferred into cages.

“The entire process is filmed with a sophisticated stereo camera and a good estimate of the size and weight of the catch is established.

“Moreover, fish is not brought to Malta unless accompanied by a validated bluefin catch document, which is issued by the flag state of the fishing vessel and which confirms that the catch was legal.”

According to Dr Refalo, since the start of sustainable plans reducing the catches allowed, significant progress has been ac-hieved and the weight of fish caught by long liners has already increased substantially.

In recent years, Malta has become one of the most important players in the international bluefin tuna trade, so much so that its ranching facilities are considered to be the biggest in the Mediterranean.