Malta is calling for a substantial increase in its bluefin tuna quota arguing the species has undergone one of the most remarkable recoveries, with the sector now enjoying the most advanced system of management and control measures in the world.

At the Agriculture and Fisheries council in Luxembourg, a Maltese delegation, led by Parliamentary Secretary Roderick Galdes, argued that the sector’s recovery should be used to give a strong signal that conservation measures paid, and said that these signals could only be given through an immediate, fair, and substantial increase in the bluefin tuna quota.

Mr  Galdes gave credit to the sector for the success of the recovery plan and invited the Green Lobby to embark on more challenging tasks by focusing also on less charismatic species that deserved urgent attention and on which it was more difficult to mobilise public sympathy and involvement.

Malta referred to the freshly published scientific advice saying this would allow the European Union to be ambitious in terms of negotiating an increase in the quota.

Discussions would intensify in Brussels in the coming weeks with a final decision on the quota to be taken at the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas’ annual meeting, to be held in Genoa between November 10 and 17.