Mediterranean countries meeting in Malta have agreed to ban bottom fish trawling in three areas off Sicily in a bid to rebuild stocks of hake, the most overfished species in the region.

The decision was taken during a meeting of the General Fisheries Committee for the Mediterranean (GFCM).

GFCM scientists identified three “fisheries restricted areas” in the northern part of the Strait of Sicily between Sicily and Malta as the most effective way to improve the sustainability of stocks of hake (merluzz) as well as of deep-water rose shrimp (gamblu abjad).

Hake is the most overfished species in the Mediterranean.

The decision was taken to close bottom fish trawling of these three areas where young hake and deep-sea rose shrimp occur and to temporarily close the Gulf of Gabes as well.

Describing the decision as a “historic move”, international NGO Oceana – which had originally tabled the proposal – said that by protecting the 1,493 km2 areas between Italy, Malta and Tunisia, a key step was taken towards rebuilding the stock of hake and preserving the home to over 60 per cent of the deep-sea rose shrimps caught in the Mediterranean.

Marine biologist and University academic Alan Deidun welcomed the move, especially in view of the fact that around 97 per cent of the stocks of commercially fished species within the Med are considered to be over-fished.

Moreover, some 50 per cent of all hake in the Strait of Sicily consists of undersized fish, which would have rarely had the chance to reproduce.

If properly implemented through enforcement and monitoring, this move could ensure the long-term survival of the commercial stocks of these two species, in a win-win situation for conservation fisheries biologists and for fishermen alike, Prof. Deidun said.

“The new designated areas lie outside the Fisheries Management Zone of Malta and hence their economic impact on local artisanal fishermen is limited,” he added.