The Resources Ministry this evening said there was no legal basis to detain Libyan purse seiner trawlers from sailing from Malta.

Referring to a press release issued by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF entitled 'Plans for illegal fishing in Libyan waters unveiled', the ministry noted that the WWF had claimed that   'several Libyan vessels, legally unauthorized to fish for bluefin, have left Malta bound for Libyan waters', and that 'ICCAT member states should have prevented their departure'. It also expressed the opinion that 'European Union institutions also bear a significant responsibility to ensure this year's [Libyan] purse seine fishing season is closed'.

The ministry said that on 5 April, five Libyan purse seiners submitted a pre-notification through their local agent regarding their intentions to enter Maltese ports for services. The Libyan vessels entered Maltese ports on 2 May 2011.

As is the standard procedure, upon entry, the five purse seiners were immediately inspected by the Fisheries Control Directorate (FCD). During the inspection it resulted that these vessels had fishing gear onboard and that their Vessel Monitoring System (VMS) was not transmitting. The Fisheries Control Directorate liaised with Transport Malta and the  purse seiners were subsequently detained in port. Within hours, the vessel's VMS systems were made operational.

The Fisheries Control Directorate determined that there was no legal basis for the Maltese Authorities to detain the Libyan flagged vessels that entered Malta for servicing. One purse seiner, Khadeel II, left Malta on 7 May, 2011, whilst the other four vessels are still at Palumbo Shipyards. The local agent of the vessels has been advised that he is to inform the Fisheries Control Directorate before these vessels leave Malta.

GREENS WANT SEASON CLOSED

Meanwhile, the European Greens Party this evening called for the EU to close its bluefin tuna fishery for the 2011 season as a consequence of the conflict in Libya. The group insisted that the conflict in Libya will make it impossible to properly oversee and control fishing of the critically threatened bluefin tuna and that the only solution is to close the fishery.

 

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