As per the news source 75 percent of the financial package is said to be funded by the European Fisheries Fund. It is said that this financial package will help the Maltese fisheries industry to modernize the fleet, as well as the creation of a number of new fish farms. Fisheries Commissioner Joe Borg said that there was no evidence to support the numerous allegations of Malta’s involvement in a €100 million tuna laundering operation.
But these allegations were not explained regarding the numerous inconsistencies and anomalies identified in Malta’s official responses to date. The Operational Programme for the Maltese Fisheries Industry for the Period 2008-2013, approved last Thursday, is arguably Dr Joe Borg’s last splash as Malta’s appointee to the European Commission before his term expires early next year.
It is said that the programme aims to ensure sustainable and competitive fisheries and aquaculture, in balance with available resources and respecting the environment. It is opined that the productive investments in aquaculture will include the modernisation of existing aquaculture facilities and the development of new ones, targeted to rearing new species, as well as the creation of a land-based hatchery.
A report says that Malta is currently undertaking to relocate its aquaculture installations further outwards to around 3 km from the shore. This will allow the number of fish farms to increase and it is estimated that production of farmed fish will increase to 15,000 tonnes. Commissioner Joe Borg told that he saw nothing wrong with Malta’s bluefin tuna export figures for 2007, despite numerous allegations to the contrary.
In response, Malta’s Rural Affairs Ministry argued that the excess 5,000 tonnes consisted in transhipments from third countries. But according to ICCAT’s Recommendation 2007-10, for any quantity of tuna to be listed as a re-export, it must first be registered as an import to Malta. Malta’s Eurostat records do not feature anywhere near the same amount of tuna imports from non-EU countries for 2007/8.
