Huwa vitali li l-għajxien tas-sajjieda tradizzjonali fil-Mediterran jkun salvagwardjat

Waqt li vvota favur rapport lill-plenarja tal-Parlament Ewropew fi Strasburgu dwar il-bini mill-ġdid tal-istokkijiet tas-sajd fir-reġjun tal-Mediterran, il-Kap tad-Delegazzjoni Maltija tal-S&D fil-parlament Alfred Sant enfasizza l-ħtieġa urġenti li tiġi żgurata s-sopravivenza tas-settur tas-sajd, speċjalment dak tas-sajjieda tradizzjonali. Huwa ddikjara li dan huwa l-uniku mod sinifikanti li bih wieħed jaħdem lejn il-konservazzjoni tal-bijodiversità u r-riproduzzjoni tal-istokkijiet tal-ħut fir-reġjun tal-Mediterran.

Ir-rapport jenfasizza li l-politika komuni tas-sajd għandha tkun imfassla b’mod li jintlaħaq bilanċ bejn is-sostenibbiltà ekonomika, ambjentali u soċjali.

Filwaqt li rrikonoxxa li l-popolazzjoni ta’ xi speċi ta’ ħut ilha tilħaq livelli irriversibbli u jeħtieġ li tittieħed azzjoni minnufih f’dan ir-rigward, l-MPE Laburista Sant saħaq li huwa kruċjali wkoll li jiġi salvagwardjat l-għajxien tas-sajjieda tradizzjonali tal-Mediterran li għal “sekli sħaħ kienu jikkostitwixxu pilastru vitali tat-tessut soċjali fir-reġjun.”

Sant qal lill-plenarja li ma jagħmilx sens li miżuri maħsuba biex jissalvagwardjaw u jibnu mill-ġdid l-istokkijiet tal-ħut minflok qed jaqdu l-bżonnijiet tas-sajd industrijali, li kien fil-biċċa l-kbira responsabbli għat-tnaqqis tal-istokkijiet tal-ħut filwaqt li jimmarġina lis-sajjieda tradizzjonali, li fil-biċċa l-kbira joperaw b’mod artiġjanali u bħala mikro intrapriżi tal-familja.

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It is paramount to safeguard the livelihoods of Mediterranean traditional fishermen

Voting in favour of a report to the European Parliament plenary in Strasbourg on rebuilding fishing stocks in the Mediterranean region, the Head of the Maltese S&D Delegation in the parliament Alfred Sant emphasized the urgent need to ensure the survival of the fisheries sector, especially that of traditional fishermen. It is the only meaningful way by which to work towards the conservation of biodiversity and fish stocks reproduction in the Mediterranean region, he declared.

The report highlights that the common fisheries policy should be designed in a way that strikes a balance between economic, environmental, and social sustainability.

While acknowledging that the population of some fish species has been reaching irreversible levels and fast action needs to be taken in this regard, Labour MEP Sant stressed that it is also crucial to safeguard the livelihoods of Mediterranean traditional fishermen who for “centuries constituted a vital pillar of the social fabric in the region.”

Sant told the plenary that it does not make sense that measures intended to safeguard and rebuild fish stocks are instead serving the needs of industrial fishing, which has been largely responsible for the depletion of fish stocks while marginalizing traditional fishermen, who in the main operate artisanally and as micro family enterprises.