Activists damage pens off St. Paul's Bay in bid to free bluefin tuna

"This species is on the brink of extinction and therefore we saw no other option to take action and free this highly endangered species. Animal Liberation!” the anonymous email - signed 'Jean Bobo' in its sender address - read.

The pens – belonging to Azzopardi Fisheries – reportedly sustained €100,000 in damages according to Azzopardi Fisheries, however no tuna escaped and the veracity of the action itself remains unconfirmed.

According to sources, the diver involved could have died during the action as evidence was found that he was caught in the same net he tried to tear.

Investigators found pieces of a wet suit and the knife used to tear the steel enforced ropes.

Contacted by MaltaToday, Charles Azzopardi from Azzopardi Fisheries expressed his disappointment at the action, and said that his company will definitely seek legal redress from the activists involved. “We are doing everything according to law and in close cooperation with fishing authorities,” Azzopardi said.

“We consider this as an act of terrorism,” he stressed.

Last night’s incident follows legal action taken by another Maltese company ‘Fish & Fish’ against Sea Shepherd Conservation Society who impounded the ‘Steve Irwin’ in the Shetland Islands.

Fish & Fish are specifically referring to an estimated €1 million in damages they allege was done to bluefin tuna fishing gear by Sea Shepherd in the Mediterranean last year when the Steve Irwin rammed their tuna pen on the high seas.

Joseph Caruana, the owner of Fish and Fish, had claimed the direct action by Sea Shepherd, whose divers managed to free 800 Bluefin tuna from a floating cage that one of its vessels was towing, amount to over €1 million.

The damages, Caruana said, include damages to the cage and a boat which caught fire from flares thrown by the crew of the Steve Irwin.