A political commitment signed in Malta two years ago to protect juvenile fish stocks in the Mediterranean was at risk, a sea and ocean protection NGO warned.

The Malta MedFish4Ever declaration was spearheaded by the European Commission and signed by 15 countries, including Malta, in March 2017. It set out a detailed programme to protect fish stocks in the Mediterranean through the setting up of protected areas and better data collection.

The declaration also aimed to eliminate illegal fishing by 2020 by ensuring that all signatories had the legal framework and the necessary human and technical capabilities to meet their control and inspection responsibilities.

A key plank of the MedFish4Ever declaration was the protection of nursery grounds through the setting up of protected essential fish habitats in the Mediterranean.

In comments to Times of Malta, Oceana policy adviser Nicolas Fournier warned that Malta’s commitment was now at risk.

No country had so far proposed areas for protection of juvenile fish

One characteristics of overfishing in the Mediterranean is the high catch of juvenile fish that have not had time to reproduce.

These small fish are often sold as they can be used for dishes like tapas.

A report by Oceana last year uncovered 41 potential cases of illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing in the Mediterranean Sea.

The report provided evidence of illegal fishing activities inside areas closed to fisheries designated to protect young fish, corals and other threatened habitats.

Mr Fournier said no country had so far proposed areas for protection of juvenile fish, despite the requirements to do so by 2018 under the MedFish4Ever declaration.

European Maritime Affairs Commissioner Karmenu Vella had hailed the “historic” agreement as a concrete show of political will to take action in the Mediterranean.

Oceana implored him to “walk the talk” on fish habitat protection and make the EU a champion in this regard.

Mr Fournier said that with over 80% of fish stocks overfished in the Mediterranean, policymakers could not afford empty announcements anymore.

“Oceana expects concrete and ambitious proposals to be announced at a high-level political meeting in Morocco in June that will advance the establishment of the network of essential fish habitats in the whole region”, Mr Fournier said.