Updated | Fishermen say they were ‘let down’ by government

The National Fishing Cooperative today expressed their opposition to the permanent berthing of the LNG storage vessel in Marsaxlokk harbour and called for a maritime impact assessment study to determine the effects it would have on the fishing industry.

Raymond Bugeja, the cooperative’s secretary-general said that bad weather had to be considered among the important factors, stressing that a maritime impact assessment should have been carried out.

Pointing out that the cooperative had not been consulted over the power plant project, which includes a floating gas storage vessel.

Bugeja also criticised the government for not delivering on a number of electoral promises on the fishing industry, warning that if nothing changes the fishermen would escalate their actions.

“Despite the electoral promises by governmentwe feel the industry is no better off than it was before last year’s election.”

He said that among other things, government had promised that a Council would be set up to address the industry’s needs and ensure the rights of fishermen are upheld, “but such a council has not been set up yet.”

Bugeja explained that Prime Minister Joseph Muscat had also promised that the parliamentary secretary for fisheries would meet with the co-op "definitely once a month" but in the handful of meetings held since March 2013, “it was always the co-ops which requested meetings and the parliamentary secretary (Roderick Galdes) never felt the need to meet us."

Reaction from Roderick Galdes

In a reaction later in the evening, parliamentary secretary for agriculture Roderick Galdes said numerous meetings had been held with the national cooperative “unlike what happened under previous Nationalist administrations.”

“We’ve had meetings at least once a month with the highest fisheries officials and fishermen’s representatives to raise matters related to the industry. For the first time ever, both fishery cooperatives have been brought to the same table to reach an agreement on the tuna season,” Galdes said.

The parliamentary secretary also said that swordfish boats will be getting monthly grants of €1,100  and not €200 as alleged by Bugeja, and other benefits.

He added that the government had appointed a steering committee, which includes members from both cooperatives, to address the need for a hardstanding facility.

“We have convinced the EU not to impose quotas that put Maltese fishermen at a disadvantage, and for fair criteria on EU funds that recognise the needs of artisanal and not industrial fishermen.

“This year we distributed aids for the closed season, and invested €1.4 million towards the sustainability of the fleet. A new jetty at St Paul’s Bay of €500,000 is in the offing, and new landing facilities for the Marsaxlokk breakwater are also being prepared.”