Malta has been certified to be fully compliant with the implementation of  the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) recommendations in the context of the bluefin tuna fishing and farming industry.

This certification was received following a two-month technical verification mission, held in Malta by officials from the European Commission Directorate-General for Maritime Affairs and Fisheries.

The government said European Commission officials in their report explained how the government had allocated the proper human and technical resources to ensure compliance with ICCAT and EU regulations.

The Commission also noted that Malta has set up a special inspection team with non-stop stand-by operation during the bluefin tuna season, equipped with highly advanced control equipment and three licenses to use specific software to analyse the stereoscopic footages of all bluefin tuna transfers.

The government said the Commission confirmed that the local authorities inspected and monitored all caging operations by stereoscopic camera under water to verify the number and weight of fish being caged in Maltese facilities.

When excess quantities were identified, tuna were released, monitored by the stereoscopic camera and in the presence of an ICCAT regional observer.

Parliamentary Secretary Roderick Galdes said this was the first time that Malta had achieved such certification, confirming that the county was a serious operator in this sector.