Nature Trust (Malta) has urged the authorities to investigate and act on complains from residents of Marsascala and Marsaxlokk on the high level of pollution coming from nearby fish farms.

"In the light of the seriousness of the situation, the NGO fails to understand why the authorities should be taking so long to move on this issue," the environmental NGO said.

It also urged the government to keep to its word and continue the process of moving the tuna farms further out as sea.

"Tuna penning close to our shores is having a negative impact on the coastal and marine ecology, polluting the surrounding areas and affecting tourism. A couple of years ago the government had said that all farms would be moved further offshore; however, to date all farms - both those in the North as well as those in the South of the Islands - are still located on our shores," Nature Trust said.

It also joined the World Wildlife Fund, of which it is a partner, in calling for a trade ban for the Blue fin Tuna to safeguard this species, of tuna which is in danger of disappearing due to overfishing and trading.

The NGO also insisted that the government's primary responsibility where the selling of tuna is concerned should be towards the local consumers of tuna. They often ended up paying excessive prices for the fish - if they managed to find it on sale at all - on account of the large volume of tuna exports.