Two fishermen cooperatives are calling on the Prime Minister to investigate whether two shipyards had pressured the authorities to be included in an EU-funded scheme to scrap tuna trawlers.
Moreover, they disagree with the scheme, which, they say, discriminated between fishermen as it was only open to those who had a licence to fish for tuna.
The Koperattiva Nazzjonali tas-Sajd and the Għaqda Kooperattiva tas-Sajd yesterday expressed their frustration at being left out of the whole process and only called to rubberstamp a decision that had already been taken.
Through the EU-funded scheme, issued by the Rural Affairs Ministry, €700,000 was earmarked in compensation for tuna fishermen who wanted to relinquish their licence and scrap their boats.
The scheme is the sixth of its kind but this was the first time fishermen could not scrap their trawlers at any yard they wanted and instead had to go to two specific shipyards: Cassar Shipyards and Bezzina Shipyards.
National fish cooperative secretary Ray Bugeja called on the Government to investigate what he described as “coincidences” that only two shipyards were approved for the scheme.
Mr Bugeja also questioned whether it was true that the Government’s hard-standing facility would be privatised, “maybe to one of these two” shipyards, which in the past had “put pressure on the authorities to increase the fees at the hard-standing facility”.
He said that the hard-standing facility in Marsaxlokk, which is used for the vessels’ maintenance, was not being used to its full potential.
Mr Bugeja complained of discrimination saying that while there were only 60 fishermen registered to fish for tuna, there were 1,040 fishermen in all.
“We will not allow discrimination between fishermen,” he said, adding that the scheme should apply to all.
Reacting, the ministry said the scheme was not intended to discriminate but was being offered as part of an EU-wide effort to reduce tuna fishing and protect stocks.
It said the two shipyards were chosen because the planning authority had stopped allowing trawlers to be scrapped at the hard-standing facility after receiving complains. Notwithstanding this, the ministry said it was planning to submit an application to the Malta Environment and Planning Authority to continue using the hard-standing facility.