Sant jappella għal aktar appoġġ immirat speċifikament għas-sajjieda tradizzjonali

F’podcast, il-MPE Laburista Alfred Sant irrikonoxxa x-xogħol siewi li qed isir fil-qasam tas-sajd lokali. Huwa żied jgħid li dan is-settur huwa suġġett għal kompetizzjoni qawwija ħafna minn sajjieda barranin. Madanakollu, huwa enfasizza li minkejja l-fatt li huwa aktar faċli li jiġu megħjuna d-ditti l-“kbar” milli s-settur tradizzjonali, huwa importanti ħafna li s-sajjieda tradizzjonali ma jitwarrbux fil-ġenb.

Sal-aħħar tal-2015, kien hemm 1,005 bastiment tas-sajd Malti rreġistrat. Il-maġġoranza l-kbira ta’ dawn kienu kklassifikati bħala bastimenti żgħar minħabba li kienu inqas minn 10m bħala tul. Skont l-Uffiċċju Nazzjonali tal-Istatistika sal-aħħar tal-2020, il-produzzjoni totali prodotta mill-industrija tal-akkwakultura u t-trobbija tat-tonn fil-Gżejjer Maltin qabeż il-€178 miljun.

Sant stqarr li minkejja d-daqs komparattivament żgħir tiegħu, is-settur tas-sajd fil-Gżejjer Maltin huwa maqsum f’żewġ setturi, prinċipalment l-intrapriżi l-kbar u s-sajjieda tradizzjonali. Filwaqt li l-intrapriżi l-kbar jaqbdu u jsemmnu l-ħut il-kbir, tonn l-aktar, is-sajjieda tradizzjonali joperaw aktar bħalha familja u joħorġu f’biċċiet tal-baħar imdaqqsa imma mhux bit-trawlers kif jagħmlu s-sajjieda tal-impriżi u s-swieq li jservu huma differenti. Billi l-operaturi l-kbar jesportaw prattikament dak kollu li jaqbdu u jsemmnu; it-“tradizzjonali” ibigħu l-qabdiet tagħhom lokalment, żied jgħid Sant.

L-eks Prim Ministru Malti saħaq li huwa kruċjali li ż-żewġ setturi jimxu mar-regolamenti li jkopru s-sajd fil-Mediterran. Huwa innota li dawn ir-regolamenti li joriġinaw mill-Unjoni Ewropea jew minn ftehimiet internazzjonali aktar wiesgħa qed isiru dejjem aktar kumplessi. Għal din ir-raġuni, huwa ħeġġeġ lill-gvern Malti biex jagħti appoġġ sħiħ liż-żewġ oqsma għax jagħtu kontribut kbir lill-ekonomija nazzjonali.

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Sant calls for more support aimed specifically to traditional fishermen

In a podcast, Labour MEP Alfred Sant acknowledged the useful work being carried out for the local fishing sector. Adding that this sector is subject to very strong competition from foreign fishermen. However, he emphasized that despite the fact that it is easier to assist the “large” firms than the traditional sector, it is imperative that traditional fishermen are not sidelined in any way.

By the end of 2015, there were 1,005 registered Maltese fishing vessels. The large majority of these were classified as small-scale vessels because they were less than 10m long. According to the National Statistics Office by the end of 2020, the total output produced by the aquaculture and tuna farming industry in the Maltese Islands reached over €178 million. 

Sant stated that notwithstanding its comparatively small size, the fisheries sector in the Maltese Islands is divided into two segments, mainly the big enterprises and the traditional fishermen. While the big enterprises catch and fatten big fish, chiefly tuna, the traditional fishermen operate mostly as a family concern. These go out to sea in sizeable boats, not on trawlers like in the case of “industrial” fishermen and they service different markets. Whereas the big operators export practically all they catch and fatten; the “traditionals” sell their catches locally, Sant added.

The former Maltese Prime Minister stressed that it is crucial that both segments keep in step with regulations covering Mediterranean fishing. He noted that these regulations which originate from the European Union or from wider international agreements are becoming increasingly complex. For this reason, he encouraged the Maltese government to provide full support to both segments as both make a good contribution to the national economy.