The EU is duty bound to safeguard traditional fishing communities

The European Union is duty bound to safeguard the way of life and earnings of traditional fishing communities, especially in isolated or peripheral regions and where fishing activities are small scale, conducted by families. Alfred Sant, the Head of the Labour Delegation at the European Parliament made this statement in Strasbourg before qualifying his vote in favour of the report “Multiannual recovery plan for bluefin tuna in the eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean.” Dr. Sant said this proposal provides another opportunity to signal that beyond participating in international conservation efforts of fish stocks, and implementing agreed rules, the European Union has another duty: protecting traditional fishing communities, especially in isolated or peripheral regions.

Dr. Sant remarked that applying to small fishing activities, the logic used to regulate corporations is wrong. Such a logic makes traditional fisheries appear not to be viable, when they are. Speaking from the experience of Malta, Dr. Sant said, this has needlessly disrupted the work of fishing communities and weakened the social fabric that kept them cohesive. During recent years, the traditional fishing community in Maltese islands has been decimated. Quotas, new licenses and rules were applied on its operations according to Union directives.

Dr. Sant said that aquaculture as a source of additional fish supplies is welcome. But economically and socially, it offers no compensation for the loss of traditional fishing. A new effort is needed to create a better framework for the operations of small scale, traditional fishermen. ‘I would urge that this be given priority, before further losses of manpower and resources are experienced in the sector,’ emphasised Dr. Sant.
The Report aims at transposing into Union law measures of the multiannual Bluefin Tuna (BFT) recovery plan in the Eastern Atlantic and the Mediterranean adopted by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) at its annual meetings between 2012 and 2014. The current Bluefin tuna fishing quota system penalises small-scale fishermen. Large vessel owners are too dominant and harm the fishing sustainability. The S&D Group tabled the amendment on quota allocation for small scale fishermen for the plenary vote and Dr Sant voted in favour of it.

Maltese Version – L-UE GĦANDHA TIBDEL IL-POLITIKA DWAR IS-SAJD GĦAL PAJJIŻI ŻGĦAR BĦAL MALTA

L-Unjoni Ewropea għandha tibdel il-politika tagħha dwar is-sajd biex tħares l-għixien u d-dħul ekonomiku tal-komunitajiet tradizzjonali tas-sajd, speċjalment f’reġjuni iżolati u fil-periferija tal-Ewropa u pajjiżi żgħar bħal Malta u Għawdex, fejn is-sajd isir fuq skala żgħira, mill-familji stess. Fl-aħħar snin l-UE ma tatx attenzjoni biżżejjed tas-sajjieda tradizzjonali u dawk li jaħdmu bħala familja, u kif ġara f’Malta, il-qligħ tagħhom naqas u anki naqsu fil-għadd. Il-Kap tad-Delegazzjoni Maltija Laburista fil-Parlament Ewropew qal dan fi Strasburgu qabel il-vot tiegħu favur ir-rapport dwar il-Pjan għal Kontroll tat-tonn fil-Lvant tal-Atlantiku u l-Mediterran. Il-grupp tas-soċjalisti u demokratiċi (S&D) ressaq emenda biex tingħata aktar importanza fl-allokazzjoni tal-kwoti lis-sajjieda żgħar u tradizzjonali tingħata aktar importanza li għaddiet.

Dr Sant qal li din il-proposta ħolqot opportunita` oħra biex turi li lil hinn mill-parteċipazzjoni għall-konservazzjoni tal-ħut; lil hinn mill-implimentazzjoni ta’ regoli maqbula, l-Unjoni Ewropea għandha obbligu ieħor: dak li tipproteġi l-komunitajiet tradizzjonali tas-sajd, speċjalment f’żoni iżolati jew li qegħdin fil-periferija tagħha.

Dr Sant qal li mhux sewwa li l-loġika użata biex ikunu regolati l-korporazzjonijiet tas-sajd hija użata wkoll għas-sajd fuq skala żgħira. Din il-loġika qed twassal biex is-sajd tradizzjonali ma jibqax jidher vijabbli, mentri fil-fatt għadu vijabbli. Mill-esperjenza ta’ Malta, qal Dr Sant, dan qed jisfratta x-xogħol tal-komunitajiet tas-sajjieda u jdgħajjef il-fibra soċjali li żżommhom flimkien. F’dawn l-aħħar snin, il-komunitajiet tas-sajd tradizzjonali fil-gżejjer Maltin naqas bil-kbir. Il-kwoti, liċenzji ġodda u regoli oħra ġew applikati fuq l-operat tagħhom skont id-direttivi tal-UE.
Dr Sant qal li l-akwakultura bħala sors ieħor għal konsum hija xi ħaġa tajba. Imma ekonomikament u soċjalment, ma toffri l-ebda kumpens għat-telf tas-sajd tradizzjonali. Jeħtieġ aktar appoġġ biex jinħoloq qafas għas-sajd fuq skala żgħira li jsir mis-sajjieda tradizzjonali. ‘Ninsisti li din tingħata prijorita`, qabel ma jseħħ aktar telf kemm fin-numru tas-sajjieda u kemm fir-riżorsi tagħhom.’ emfasizza Dr Sant.
Ir-Rapport diskuss jidħol fil-liġijiet tal-UE dwar il-pjan għal kontroll tat-tonn fil-Lvant tal-Atlantiku u l-Mediterran u adottati mill-Kummissjoni Internazzjonali għal Konservazzjoni tat-Tonn tal-Atlantiku fil-laqgħat annwali li saru bejn l-2012 u l-2014. Is-sistema preżenti dwar il-kwoti tat-tonn tippenalizza lis-sajjieda li jistadu fuq skala żgħira. Is-sidien ta’ bastimenti kbar jiddominaw wisq u jagħmlu ħsara lis-sostenibilita` tal-ħut. Il-Grupp tal-S&D ippreżenta t-tibdiliet tiegħu dwar l-allokazzjonijiet tal-kwoti għas-sajjieda ż-żgħar għall-vot fil-plenarja. Dr Sant ivvota favur dan ir-rapport.