Updated Jan 16

A ninth tuna pen has been added two days ago just off St Paul’s Islands in St Paul’s Bay, activists have claimed. 

This is contrary to the unilateral undertaking declaration, formulated and signed by fish farm operators in September, which states that there should be a maximum of eight nets in this area.

The agreement stated that only eight tuna cages had to remain on site after December 31 this year retaining solely the carry over tuna fish, the quantity of which had to be agreed beforehand with the Fisheries Department. The eight cages have to be relocated by May 31, 2017.

The photo above, taken by Nicolai Abela this morning, shows the nine tuna nets on site.

Mr Abela, who heads the Stop the Slime Facebook page, claimed that the ninth net was added following an increase in activity around the pens over the last week.

In a statement issued on Monday morning, a spokesman for fish farm operator AJD Tuna said that the ninth net did not contain any fish and was used to transfer fish from one cage to another. 

Fish farms made headlines for the wrong reasons last year with fishy, foamy slime drifting into swimming bays and keeping bathers away.

Operators attributed the slime to the use of baitfish with a higher fat content than that usually used.