Nineteen divers from the new group, Declare Cirkewwa a Marine Sanctuary Now, this morning started surveying the seabed of the area using underwater video cameras.

The aim of the survey is to get an estimate of how much of the protected posedonia was growing in the area.

The group also organised a beach clean-up, supported by the local council.

It said that the diving community had been arguing in favour of declaring Cirkewwa a marine sanctuary for the past 25 years. Although, since joining the EU, Cirkewwa became a de facto protected area by way of a law prohibiting all types of fishing around wrecks, divers still reported infringements on a daily basis.

The new group was now calling on the government to declare Cirkewwa a protected area and a no take zone prohibiting all types of fishing from boats, with the exception of shore angling towards the south quay.

It is calling for Administrative Law Enforcement police officers to be stationed on site 24 hours a day to provide a constant, vigilant and proactive enforcement and for the placing of clear signage at and towards the approaches to Cirkewwa declaring the site a protected area and highlighting the fines for infringement.

It also called for site information on flora and fauna to be provided.