Fishing industry data used to the detriment of Maltese traditional fishermen

Data collated on the fishing industry in the Mediterranean is being used to the detriment of traditional Maltese fishermen when it comes to allocating fishing quotas on a Union and on a national basis in order to preserve fish stocks, reiterated Maltese MEP Alfred Sant at the European Parliament in Strasbourg when commenting on a statement released by the European Commission. Maltese and Gozitan traditional fishermen whom Dr Sant meets on a regular basis, share this opinion and continuously ask him to voice their concerns at the European Parliament on this issue.

“Local fishermen from Marsaxlokk, Mellieħa and other areas in Malta and Gozo share these concerns every time I meet them and ask me to convey their message at the European Parliament.

I will remain loyal to Maltese and Gozitan traditional fishermen who earn their livelihood from fishing and will continue to represent their interests at the European Parliament. Local fishermen are suspicious about the use of fishing industry data in favour of large operators to their detriment. I told the European Parliament that EU Directives have curtailed the livelihood and the future of Maltese and Gozitan traditional fishermen whose catches were disproportionately restricted for tuna, shortly for swordfish and will soon be restricted for lampuki.

This is unfair and this is what prompted me to vote against a resolution on the collection, management and use of data in the fisheries sector at the European Parliament.”

“Many traditional fishermen operate on a family basis. Up to quite recently, they lacked the knowledge, resources or time to be able to understand how their industry, indeed their way of life, were changing. Larger scale operators transformed the structure of the fishing industry and knew how to lobby in defence of their market share”, remarked the Maltese MEP.

Maltese Version – INFORMAZZJONI DWAR IS-SAJD TINTUŻA KONTRA L-INTERESSI TAS-SAJJIEDA TRADIZZJONALI MALTIN

Informazzjoni miġbura dwar l-industrija tas-Sajd qed tintuża għad-detriment tas-sajjieda tradizzjonali Maltin u Għawdxin fl-allokazzjoni tal-kwoti tas-sajd u fuq bażi nazzjonali biex ikunu mħarsa l-ħut fil-Mediterran, enfasizza l-Ewroparlamentari Malti Alfred Sant fi Strasburgu meta kkummenta fuq stqarrija tal-Kummissjoni Ewropea dwar is-suġġett. Is-sajjieda Maltin u Għawdxin li jiltaqgħu regolarment ma’ Alfred Sant huma ta’ din il-fehma u kontinwament jistaqsuh biex iwassal il-vuċi tagħhom fil-Parlament Ewropew.
“Kull darba li niltaqa’ ma’ sajjieda lokali minn Marsaxlokk, mill-Mellieħa u minn inħawi oħra ta’ Malta u Għawdex iħeġġuni biex inwassal leħenhom fil-Parlament Ewropew. Jien se nibqa’ leali lejn is-sajjieda tradizzjonali Maltin u Għawdxin li jiddependu mis-sajd għall-għixien tagħhom. ls-sajjieda tradizzjonali tagħna jħarsu b’suspett lejn il-mod kif qed tinġabar u tintuża d-‘data’ biex tkun regolata l-industrija tas-sajd. Dawn jemmnu li l-informazzjoni li nġabret tul iż-żmien serviet biex tgħatti l-impatt tal-operaturi l-kbar a skapitu tagħhom. Dan ġara fil-mod ta’ kif qed jiġu allokati l-kwoti kemm fl-Unjoni Ewropea u kemm fuq bażi nazzjonali biex ikunu mħarsa l-istokks tal-ħut.

Jien sħaqt fil-Parlament Ewropew li d-direttivi tal-EU ibbażati fuq din l-informazzjoni qed jheddu l-għixien u l-futur tas-sajjieda Maltin u Għawdxin fejn sofrew minn restrizzjonijiet sproporzjonati għat-tonn, daqt għall-pixxispad u daqt ikun ristrett għal-lampuki. Dan mhux ġust u kien għalhekk li vvutajt kontra r-riżoluzzjoni fuq il-ġbir, tmexxija u użu ta’ ‘data’ tas-settur tas-sajd fil-Parlament Ewropew.

Ħafna sajjieda tradizzjonali joperaw bħala familja. Sa ftit ilu, la kellhom għarfien, la riżorsi u l-anqas ħin biex jifhmu kif l-industrija tagħhom, l-mod ta’ għajxien tagħhom, kienu qed jinbidlu. L-operaturi l-kbar ittrasformaw l-istruttura tal-industrija tas-sajd għax kienu jafu kif jimbottaw l-ideat tagħhom biex iżommu sehemhom fis-suq.” qal Dr Sant.