Alfred Sant has accused the European Union of not respecting the rights and interests of traditional fishermen, both within and out of the EU.

Speaking in the European Parliament, former Prime Minister Alfred Sant, now an MEP, said the rights and interests of traditional fishermen in member states, especially in small island communities such as Malta should be safeguarded.

Traditional fishermen, he said, felt they were being placed in an unsustainable position. Fishing quotas were assigned to member states on a one-size-fits-all basis, as in the allocation of tuna quotas in the Mediterranean.

Through the system, he said, small scale traditional fishermen were squeezed even harder, while incentives were implemented to encourage them to give up their work.

“The lifework of these fishermen, if it is maintained and encouraged, could in no way undermine the operations of the single  market in the fisheries sector.

Dr Sant  voted with reservations in favour of a sustainable fisheries partnership agreement between the EU and Senegal.

He told the EP it was important that fisheries agreements concluded by the EU with third countries from the developing world sought to safeguard the rights of traditional fishermen while allowing for modern development of the fisheries industry.