AFM uses ‘minimum force’ in new Greenpeace skirmish with tuna ranchers

Greenpeace activists said they had spent two hours engaged in non-violent direct action to free endangered bluefin tuna from a large cage, and met resistance from the AFM through the “firing of flares from the fishing vessel and the use of water cannons”.

Greenpeace said the cage contained highly endangered bluefin tuna caught a few days ago by commercial fishing vessels. The activists, in seven inflatable boats, were launched from two Greenpeace ships, the Arctic Sunrise and the Rainbow Warrior.

The incident occurred approximately 22 nautical miles south of Malta.

The AFM said that following a report received from fisherman, a patrol craft intervened to prevent the MV Artic Sunrise and MV Rainbow Warrior causing damage to a fish cage being towed by the local vessel Ta’ Mattew, which cage contained legally-caught bluefin tuna being transported to Maltese ranching operations.

“The Greenpeace activists engaged in a variety of actions designed to cause damage to the cage which included attempts to cut the net from small craft as well as attempts to ram the cage with the MV Artic Sunrise. Despite the potential of their actions to cause wilful damage to property and harm to persons, AFM assets responded with minimum force which included physical blocking of the Greenpeace craft and the use of fire-hoses to interfere with the activists’ actions,” an army spokesperson said.

The ministry for rural affairs yesterday said the Maltese operators’ activities were being carried out according to the ICCAT (International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas) and European Union regulations.

“These activities are also being monitored by inspectors from ICCAT and the EU. The fish in these tuna pens belonging to Maltese operators were caught legally, and make up part of the quotas established by ICCAT,” the ministry said in a statement.

Greenpeace said it is defending the Mediterranean and its bluefin tuna, 80% of which is estimated to have already been fished out.

“Releasing bluefin tuna is the only responsible thing to do, for the future of the fish and the future of our oceans,” said Oliver Knowles, Greenpeace International oceans campaigner onboard the Rainbow Warrior.

“Greenpeace will confront any and all parts of the Mediterranean bluefin fishery; the most visible example of how politics and fisheries management have failed our oceans.”

Later in the evening, the Federation of Malta Aquaculture Producers – in a statement by their lawyer John Refalo – accused Greenpeace of intending to hijack the bluefin tuna cage.

“It was unprovoked aggression and the perpetrators refused to obey the orders of the Maltese Armed Forces. This attempt can only be defined as criminal and violent and highly irresponsible in that by carrying out these assaults at sea they subject both their militants and innocent workers employed by the fish farms to unacceptable risks.”

The FMAP said they would ask the Commissioner of Police to investigate and take criminal proceedings against Greenpeace.

“The bluefin tuna in question was legally caught according to Maltese, EU and ICCAT regulations and was purchased by the farm operator in question with the consent of the Maltese and foreign authorities. The fish was therefore caught legally and belonged to the Maltese farm operator,” the FMAP said.

“Contrary to what Greenpeace is saying the bluefin fishery carried out this year was highly regulated and sustainable the relevant quotas having been set according to scientific study. All purse seiners involved in the fisheries had international observers on board and were subjected to an unprecedented level of controls to ensure compliance with the rules. The FMAP is committed to ensuring the full respect of all applicable regulations.”