It was with exasperation and disbelief that the country watched the charade of the Planning Authority’s handling of the chaos in the fish farm industry.

After months of complaints, it looked like the watchdog was finally going to do something tangible to stop the white foamy slime oozing out of those offshore operations. It appeared to be listening to public complaints about ruined seas by an industry out of control, operating illegally and selfishly to the detriment of people who only want to enjoy a day at the beach.

The regulator came out with a firm position and issued an emergency enforcement order requiring the operators to comply with their respective planning permits. They were also asked to come up with a planning statement on how to address the illegalities. Things appeared to be moving.

The Environment Ministry said that over half the existing fish farm cages were illegal and the regulator said it planned to revoke 10 permits for fish farms around the island.

Then, on Tuesday, everything changed. The Planning Authority board suddenly reversed its position when faced with the fish farm operators and their lawyers, who warned of immense costs and losses after having had a free hand for years and evidently not bothering to stay within the law.

The operators argued that revoking the 10 permits would be a death blow to the industry. The regulator caved and gave them until September 22 to come up with a plan to address the breaches in permit conditions and to relocate their operations to an approved aquaculture zone. But that was not all.

Prime Minister Joseph Muscat waded in, saying he was disappointed with the Planning Authority’s decision after all the “decisive action” his government had taken. His government took no such action, neither now nor over the past three years. Last Sunday, he said he would not give in to blackmail from the industry but the regulator, part of his portfolio, ostensibly did without his consent.

Dr Muscat’s opaque position prompted Nationalist Party leader Simon Busuttil to accuse him of playing a double act as he claimed the Planning Authority was following the Prime Minister’s orders. Dr Busuttil may be right but he has not much to be proud of either.

His reaction to the decision to postpone the matter was that it was “fair enough”, that it was now up to the industry to prove itself and that the employees should be relieved. It was a shocking stand to take considering that, just a few months ago, his party put the environment, not business, at the top of its agenda.

The problem with fish farm pollution is not new. In 2012, under the previous administration, a report by the University of Stirling had drawn up recommendations on how to avoid the slime, including a proposal to relocate the farms to deeper waters. Nothing was done and the situation degenerated to how it is today.

The sad outcome is that big business has come out on top again. The Planning Authority has once more emerged toothless and the two main political parties have come across as weak in the face of big business.

It was a missed opportunity for the Planning Authority to make amends with the public after the high-rise debacle and after having allowed the fish farm operators to get away with their illegalities for so long.

Maybe, when the regulator renegotiates conditions with the operators, it could encourage the fish farms to breed clownfish. Their feed may be less polluting and the fish more appropriate.