Fish hawkers were today given an opportunity by a court to reach an amicable settlement with the Health Department over the way fish are sold at outdoor stalls.

The fishermen packed a court hall and appeared angry that they had been summoned for more than three years because health inspectors found that their fish were not kept at 8 degrees Celsius in the market place.

The 17 hawkers led by Julian Attard, explained to Magistrate Jacqueline Padovani that it was ridiculous that the Health Department were asking them to keep the fish at that temperature especially since the fish were fresh.

“A friend of mine was even been charged because a live octopus was not kept at that temperature” Mr Attard exclaimed.

The magistrate clearly understood the fishermen’s point and turned to the health official and said that the fish brought ashore were fresh.

The fisherman and their families let out cries of appreciation “prosit, prosit” (well done, well done).

The court had previously made a suggestion to the fishermen to band together and form an association in order to talks to the health department about the law which prohibits the temperature being higher than 8 degrees Celsius.

Mr Attard said they had met health department officials more than twenty times but nothing had come of it and they had not received any guidelines on what to do.

He added that the hawkers used ice on the fish liberally and it not male sense to buy an ice making machine as they sold fresh fish.

The magistrate told the fishermen that although she understood their problems her hands were tied as regards the law, referring to a legal notice passed in 2002.

She offered them a deferment of the cases against them until an amicable deal had been reached between the fishermen, the health department and the Malta Standards Authority.