Malta’s call for an increase in the quota of bluefin tuna catches was welcomed by the Federation of Maltese Aquaculture Producers as Nature Trust calls for caution.

Malta made its request in view of a “remarkable recovery” of the species after new controls were implemented a few years ago.

Maltese fishermen and owners of tuna farms have been putting pressure on the government over the past years to make a case for increased quotas but, so far, the EU has not given in to demands.

A decision on next year’s quotas is expected to be made in November during the annual meeting of the Inter­national Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas, to be held in Genoa.

The call for a substantial increase in quotas was last week termed irresponsible by a coalition of Maltese NGOs called Fish for Tomorrow.

Nature Trust joined WWF in calling for caution and continued guarantees to ensure the full recovery of the species’ population.

“In spite of the high uncertainties surrounding the assessment, one thing appears clear today: the stock is no longer at risk of collapse and this is a direct result of the current recovery plan.

The keyword here is sustainability, not only in a biological sense but also in an economic sense

“However, strong concerns remain, particularly regarding the traceability of the fish,” Sergi Tudela, head of fisheries at WWF Mediterranean, said. To ensure sustainable fishery, reliable data was important but adequate means to fight illegal, unregulated and unreported fish was also crucial, the organisation said.

The Federation of Maltese Aquaculture Producers said it agreed that the total allowable catch for a particular year should be set in accordance with a number of principles including scientific advice to ensure sustainability of the catch.

“The keyword here is sustainability, not only in a biological sense but also in an economic sense,” it said.

“The present assessment, made by the Standing Committee for Research and Science... and released over the past days has concluded that the stock of bluefin tuna is looking very good and that even a strong increase in the total allowable catch will not affect the recovery plan which is presently in place.”

The management of the stock was a success story that came after years of controversy, sacrifices and hardship endured by all including fishermen and their families, it said.

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