Din l-Art Helwa sounds warning on swordfish depletion

Din l-Art Helwa is calling on consumers to refrain from buying and eating baby swordfish, a delicacy sold in both fish shops and restaurants to ensure the sustainability of the fish stocks.

Din l-Art Helwa has warned that swordfish is in greater danger than Bluefin tuna of being overfished because there is little or no legislation regulating its catch.

The conservationist NGO, which this year organised the ‘Fished Out’ conference to promote awareness on the collapse of tuna stocks, said that tuna quotas should ensure the sustainability of this species if respected.

But it said Maltese fishing statistics were showing that over the past few years, the overall weight of swordfish catch has not decreased and that there are no statistics on the number of fish being caught but only to the total weight landed. “This leads to the perception that there is no problem with swordfish stocks while it becoming evident that a greater number of smaller immature fish are making up this weight” Din l-Art Helwa chairperson Simone Mizzi said.

The organisation said that this year a large number of immature swordfish is being caught as can be seen when visiting fishmongers. “Din l-Art Helwa is concerned that there is inadequate international legislation aimed at regulating swordfish fishing and has asked that this be updated with urgency under the forthcoming updating of the EU Common Fisheries Policy,” Mizzi said.

This legislation would also protect artisan fishermen who depend on this and other fish for a livelihood and are being affected by EU Fishing quotas. “Failing this, these same fishermen will be out of a job in the next few years because there will not be any more fish to catch,” Mizzi said.

Din l-Art Helwa, Greenhouse, Nature Trust, Sharklab and GetupStandup continue to work together to form ‘Fish4Tomorrow’, in an awareness campaign “aimed at the problem of overfishing that has got out of hand.” The campaign seeks to generate awareness within the local consumer market to promote and nurture a culture of sustainable eating with regards to fish stocks.