Fishermen complained and Joseph Muscat listened but the Labour leader insisted governments had little room for manoeuvre in a sector heavily regulated by the EU.

It is not a storm caused by the weather. It is a storm imposed by those who were supposed to have been managing this sector

Dr Muscat yesterday met fishermen in a packed hall at Marsaxlokk, where he heard them rant about what they described as the Government’s “political arrogance”.

In his introductory speech, Dr Muscat said that within EU constraints a Labour government will ensure fishermen benefited from all the advantages. “If there are EU funds to spend we will use them to help you expand – not remove your boats.”

He insisted governments had to manoeuvre within the EU-imposed constraints but pledged to have a minister solely responsible for agriculture and fisheries, giving fishermen a focal point.

Dr Muscat said it was a mistake to merge agriculture and fisheries into a massive ministry because this reduced the political focus.

He promised more consultation and pledged to set up a consultative board on fisheries that would meet at least once a month. In this way, the minister will regularly meet fishery sector representatives, he added.

Dr Muscat said that in principle, a Labour agreed that EU-imposed closed seasons should be accompanied by compensation.

In brief introductory speeches, fishermen’s representatives complained about the Government’s lack of dialogue and mismanagement. Ray Bugeja from the Koperattiva Nazzjonali tas-Sajd went one step further and described the mismanagement as “organised disorganisation”.

Mr Bugeja said fishermen were facing their biggest challenge yet. “It is not a storm caused by the weather because we are used to those and we know that sunshine will return. It is a storm imposed by those who were supposed to have been managing this sector.”

The media were only allowed in for the introductory speeches. A Labour spokesman said it was the fishermen who requested to have the question and answer session behind closed doors.

ksansone@timesofmalta.com