Fishermen have suspended plans to hold a protest in Grand Harbour on Friday after Nationalist MEP Simon Busuttil intervened in their dispute with the government and arranged a meeting between fishermen's representatives and the prime minister.

The decision to call off the protest was taken during a long meeting of the National Fisheries Cooperative.

Dr Busuttil contacted the cooperative and after discussing their issues gave its board members an appointment with the prime minister as part of the series of meetings he is having with civil society.

Cooperative secretary Ray Bugeja said yesterday that fishermen were prepared to protest because promises by the government were not being honoured.

He said the claims fishermen are making include a reduced National Insurance rate and reforms to ensure that fishing remained a sustainable industry.

He said that since the fishermen last held a protest about the implementation of the reform in the fisheries sector, Rural Affairs Minister George Pullicino had only met them twice.

He said fishermen were not accepting a reduction in the National Insurance rate of just 10 per cent but wanted something more substantial.

According to Mr Bugeja, way back in 2004 the government had promised to cut the National Insurance rate by half, implement a new insurance scheme for fishermen and compensation for swordfish fishermen who will be affected by coastal fishing bans. Moreover, the cooperative wants a guarantee of no quotas for those who fish for lampuki.

Mr Bugeja claims the government did not consult them on the fisheries management plan. The fishermen believe the government's plans would lead to a reduction of fishing for several types of fish and leave them without a future.

The Rural Affairs Ministry said it wrote to Mr Bugeja's cooperative several times but received no reply.