spearfishing will be prohibited in NW coast MPA

[cgp71]

Are there any regulations / laws for spearfishing in Malta as there are in, say, Italy? eg One can catch 5 kg fish or 1 fish exceeding this weight per day...etc? These would surely help sustainability!

RE-bouys - I do not know of a single dive site that is equipped with mooring facilities. All boats just anchor anywhere.

[baghira]

I better not comment anymore re; this stupid subject. I cannot swear or express my anger towards those who make these regulations.
This is just to appear in line with EU expectations, and leave other's fu.. our sea.
Do they know how many people are taking medicinals, and are getting sick due to the fact that one cannot live and practice his beloved hobby. Do you really think that what is being done is to respect our seas!!!! If it was so, there had to be policies, taken after consulting us, Tax paying citizens.

No more comments.

[toni t]

Just a comment regarding this topic.

The attached report was placed on MEPA website.....so to be able to know about it one had to regularly visit said website.

Later on an advert asking for public feedback on the same report was published in one of the major english newspapers on Sundays. In my opinion the advert was not conspicous enough to give it the importance it should have; maybe this was an indication that whoever was taking care of this was not aware of the impact this could have on all those who visit this area regularly or maybe this was done intentionally. Nothing less than a full page advert would have sufficed.

I had sent my comments to MEPA on this. (IF any body eants these let me know) No actual feedback was ever sent back, except an acknowledgement of recepit.

Later on I had an appointment with MEPA together with members of the Malta Skin Diving Club. We discussed our points and feedback should have been taken up but we never got any wiser as to what will happen to apnea spearfishing.

A few weeks after we had also attended a seminar in Marsaxlokk with MEPA where all representatives from fishing clubs or associations were present. That was the last official meeting that I know of.........nobody ever came back from MEPA.

The only reason for this MPA is simply money. Setting up this MPA will get money from the EU funds, which will not necessarly mean that these will be spent in favour of our sea's well being. Its typical maltese public fund management.

How can you ever believe anything else when this so called MPA boasts one of the biggest eye sores in the NW....a hotel spread out over a massive area, a few metres of rare sand dunes buried under restaurants and deck chairs, fuel bunkering activities taking place a km offshore (imagein what can happen with a spill), sewage outflow for years on end (we should have 30m+ plus visibility not a situation where sometimes you can barely see the bottom in 12 m of water)

An interesting point for us all which came up during this last meeting was the fact that apnea spearfishing is seen in good light by other fishing communities except when done at night or using scuba. Something which we all agree should be banned outright.

All this was way back in 2006.....I have had no feedback from then.

Finally the

[nemo]

this means that from know on no more spearfishing in that area?

[MartinB]

The only reason for this MPA is simply money. Setting up this MPA will get money from the EU funds, which will not necessarly mean that these will be spent in favour of our sea's well being. Its typical maltese public fund management.

Ah ha! I knew there had to be a "catch" somewhere...What a suprise!!  

...which will not necessarly mean that these will be spent in favour of our sea's well being

Which begs the question Are funds ever actually spent on what they were originally collected/allotted for in this country??..cos im really struggling to remember one occassion tbh

[baghira]

Nice correspondence Toni T. Pitty it happened with a biased organisation.
I would be willing to take those MEPA officers diving with me in a couple of places, to show them what marine degradation is.
How could they come to certain conclusions, without discussion, or without knowing what it takes to be a good spearfisher? As regards those that do it illegally, with scuba or at night let them face the punishment, but not us.

I have in mind to send an e-mail to Xarabank, since he is asking for discussion topics to be held on comming Programmes. I think this would be a nice topic, but I was asking myself?? Is it wise to do? Would it be beneficial to us or not? I would like comments?