The Labour Party has urged the government to resist the proposal before the EU to ban the international trade of bluefin tuna.

Party spokesman Joe M. Sammut said the tuna industry was important for Malta and such a decision would cause hardship.

He argued that stocks were being depleted because of the use of purse seiner nets, and the PL was therefore insisting that fishing by traditional methods should be allowed.

An outright ban would not be effective because it was well known that neighbouring countries which were not members of the EU or the relevant international organisations allowed uncontrolled fishing, Dr Sammut said.

The Labour spokesman said Malta should act in the same way as Spain on this issue.

See:

http://www.timesofmalta.com/articles/view/20090910/local/spain-to-wait-on-tuna-ban