'No legal basis' to detain Libyan purse seiners - fisheries directorate to WWF, Greenpeace

On 5 April 2011, 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 per 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 five purse seiners were subsequently detained in port. Within hours, the vessel’s VMS systems were made operational,” the ministry for rural affairs said.

One purse seiner, Khadeel II, left Malta on 7 May, 2011, whilst the other 4 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.

International conservation organisations WWF and Greenpeace this week called for the forthcoming industrial purse-seine bluefin tuna fishing season in the Mediterranean Sea to be suspended.

“There are reports that several Libyan vessels, legally unauthorized to fish for bluefin, have left Malta bound for Libyan waters. Greenpeace and WWF share the belief that ICCAT member states should have prevented their departure,” WWF spokesperson Gemma Parkes said.

Both organisations said ten Libyan-flagged purse seine fishing vessels are owned by French interests, while other illegal Libyan vessels are ready to set sail for the Libyan fishing zone from European ports in France (Sète) and Malta.

The groups have sent an urgent request to members of the organisation meant to manage the fishery – the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT). 

The call follows a late intervention from Libya that it will now allow fishing in its waters despite having no agreed fishing plan for the season. This would make any fishing activity by Libyan fleets illegal, according to ICCAT rules.

 “Given that illegal Libyan vessels are ready to set sail from France and Malta if not stopped in their tracks, European Union institutions also bear a significant responsibility to ensure this year’s purse seine fishing season is closed,” said Dr Sergi Tudela, head of fisheries at WWF Mediterranean.