Federation Meeting with Fisheries Board Sub Committee for new Sport/Recreational

[skip]

What needs to happen at this stage is for me to create an online poll and understand / gauge whether a good number of registered forum users feel that action needs to be taken.

The first issue is whether they feel that recreational fishing should be so heavily regulated without there first be effective and ongoing.enforcement of fishing in Malta.

If they feel new regulations are needed that an elected delegation representing the MFF should be able to contribute directly in terms of input on the sub committee even though we are not an NGO. Or if they are happy to lobby via the Federation with whom we have worked with during tournaments etc in the past.

A lot of us feel very passionately about this hobby especially those who have invested a lot of money and time into this past time, and it is therefore very important to understand the future of our hobby.

I believe that reform or regulation of the recreational sector is being driven by thosewho are not happy with us sharing the sea with them if it may jeopardize their interests.

[EmicMalta]

The Fisheries Control Division decided to appoint a sub committee of the Fisheries Board to discuss amendments and make new proposals regarding regulations of vessels registration and fishing activity (already in force) which govern recreational /sport fishing activities.

Since this sub committee derives from the Fisheries Board, the members chosen had to be part of the Fisheries Board as regards Chairman, Cooperatives, Federation of Amateur Fisherman, TM and AFM. As MTA does not have a member on the Fisheries Board a representative was nominated by MTA.

Since I am the only representative for Amateur Fisherman there was no choice. Does anyone think that rejecting to participate a priori is a reasonable action to take?
While I am standing in the sub committee, the Federation will be constantly informed of all issues under discussion. This will allow for feedback about the views of amateur fishermen.

The first point I raised with the chairman was that Federation committee members should be consulted. The chairman agreed and last week such a meeting was held.

I also called for a meeting with harpoon divers Association as this is another issue on the Agenda and there is nobody to represent them.

One should note that these are draft proposals. No decision has been taken. The sub committee is gathering all the information possible to ultimately produce a final draft with the widest possible consensus of all stakeholders. This document will be sent for further consultation within the Fisheries advisory Board which in turn will be sent to the Minister.

The Federation President rightly informed all amateur fishermen about these meetings on the Federation website and Malta Fishing Forum. What would have been the reaction of amateur fisherman if nothing was disclosed and then having amateur fishermen being faced with a fait accompli?

The Federation is not imparting any benediction on anything that may be detrimental to amateur fishermen.

The Federation is in the process of organizing a meeting for all Amateur Fishermen, irrespective whether they are members of a member Association or not. This meeting will take place only when a first draft of the issues in question is drawn up.

I am enclosing the Terms of Reference which the sub committee has to work on.

1.  What kinds of fishing gear can be considered as recreational fishing?
2.  Whether a fishing vessel needs a license?
3.  Whether recreational fishing should have specific zones?
4.  Catches controlled by minimum maximum sizes.
5.  Whether fishing with harpoon should be considered?
6.  Whether there should be distinction been recreational and sport fishing?
7.  Whether MFC vessels and S vessels have same conditions?
8.  Whether there should be different criteria for Tourist Fishing?

Excluding the first introductory meeting, the sub committee has only met three times.
Discussions are in their very early stages, so please hold your horses until some form of draft regulations have been set up.

Sur Carabott, illum ikkuntatjajt lil ghaqda taghna l spearoes u mil ewwel sibna rispons ta ghajnuna min naha taghhom. Jekk jogbok tista tajdilna lieghma ghaqda ikkuntatjajtu u min  hu il persuna in charge li ikkuntatja lil assocjazjoni tal harpoon?

MarcoG huwa persuna inkarigata fil kumitat u naprezzaw jekk jigi infurmat fuq dawn l azzjonijiet

thanks bil quddiem.
edward

@ Skip: I understand that an online poll will be a great idea, but thousands of people out there does nt know anything about this. Yes on MFF we are about 2600 but if we can have something to spread around with local 'fishermen' for sure it can go more then 10 times as much

[Gogo]

Dear Emicmalta,

This afternoon I spoke to Marcog and arranged for a meeting.  Please contact Marcog and he will give further details.

Yours

Joe (Gogo)

[EmicMalta]

Dear Emicmalta,

This afternoon I spoke to Marcog and arranged for a meeting.  Please contact Marcog and he will give further details.

Yours

Joe (Gogo)

thanks. I will do

[Jonathan]

Hawn xi hadd jista jikkjarifika z-zewg mistoqisijet li ghamilt fil-post ta' qabel:

1 - X'qed jifhmu biha beta jghidu jiddiskutu zoni ghar-recreational fishing (point 3)?
Pruvajt nahseb x'jista jfisser dan il-punt u 3 options hsibt:
- Jekk qed jghidu li ghandu jkun hemm xi zoni bhal ma ghandna bhalissa fejn hadd ma jista jistad biex inzommuhom bhala conservation zones / natural reserves hekk nifhimha.
- Jew qed jissugerixxu li ghandu jkun hemm zoni fejn sajd kummmercjali ma jistax isir imma jista jsir sajd rikreazzjonali. Dan jista jkun bil-hsieb li l-impatt fuq il-fish stocks f'dawn iz-zoni ikun ferm iktar baxx u sostenibbli.
- Jew l-option l-ohra li nispera li mhux il-kaz, hu li jista jkun li hemm xi hadd qed jissugerrixi/tissugerrixi li ghandu jkun hemm areas fejn jista jsir sajd fuq skala kummercjali imma mhux rikreazzjonali. Policy bhal din assolutament mhux fl-interess ta' l -ambjent u fish stocks tkun. Din Robin Hood bil-maqlub tigi : iccahhad liz-zghir biex taghti lil-kbir halli jkun iktar komdu u agevolat.

2 - X'qed jifhmu biha meta jghidu jiddiskutu jekk turist ghandux ikollu drittijiet ghal-sajd rikreazzjonali differenti
minn Malti (Point 8 )?
Jista min ressaq dan il-puntu jikkjarifika/tikkjarifika x'tip ta' diskriminazzjoni u segregazzjoni kellu f'mohhu/mohha?

Dawn huma zewg punti li huma nkwetanti hafna ghalina li ghandna d-delizzu tas-sajd.

[Gogo]

Ghaziz Jonathan,
Iva hemm minn jista jikkjarifika l-mistoqsijiet tieghek.

Punt numru tlieta.
'Jekk qed jghidu li ghandu jkun hemm xi zoni bhal ma ghandna bhalissa fejn hadd ma jista jistad biex inzommuhom bhala conservation zones / natural reserves'
Iva  dik wahda mil-proposti. Minn naha taghna, dillettanti tas-sajd insistejna li l-bahar madwar Malta huwa zghir u ghalhekk wiehed irid joqod attent kemm jaghmel minn dawn ir-riservi u dejjem jiddiskutu mar-rappresentanti tas-settur bhal Federazzjoni, Klubs tal-dilettanti tas-sajd u Divers Klub (harpoon) li huma kostitwiti u rikonoxxuti mil-Awtoritajiet.

- Jew qed jissugerixxu li ghandu jkun hemm zoni fejn sajd kummmercjali ma jistax isir imma jista jsir sajd rikreazzjonali. Dan jista jkun bil-hsieb li l-impatt fuq il-fish stocks f'dawn iz-zoni ikun ferm iktar baxx u sostenibbli.
Le din hadd ma pproponija.

Jew l-option l-ohra li nispera li mhux il-kaz, hu li jista jkun li hemm xi hadd qed jissugerrixi/tissugerrixi li ghandu jkun hemm areas fejn jista jsir sajd fuq skala kummercjali imma mhux rikreazzjonali. Policy bhal din assolutament mhux fl-interess ta' l -ambjent u fish stocks tkun. Din Robin Hood bil-maqlub tigi : iccahhad liz-zghir biex taghti lil-kbir halli jkun iktar komdu u agevolat.
Fuq din kien hemm suggeriment mir-rappresentanta tat-turismu. Kemm ir-rappresentant tal-Federazzjoni ,dak tal-Kooperativi u membri ohra wara diskuzzjoni ma qablux .

'X'qed jifhmu biha meta jghidu jiddiskutu jekk turist ghandux ikollu drittijiet ghal-sajd rikreazzjonali differenti'-ewwel haga qed niddiskutu dwar bastiment tat-turismu u mhux it-turist. Turist jista ikun anki Malti meta imur fuq dawn il-bastimenti u t-tnejn ghandhom kull dritt.
Li qed jigi mistharreg hu jekk dawn il bastimenti ghandhomx ikollhom regolamenti tas-sajd simili bhal dawk tad-dilettanti. Jigifieri licenzja mid-dipartiment tas-sajd b-regolamenti bhal tad-dilettanti. Bhalissa ma hemm xejn u kullhadd jaghmel li irid min u min mhux fit-turismu..
Dan il- punt  ghad irid jigi mistharreg sew  f-seduta ohra.

Jekk ghandhekk bzon xi kjarifiki ohra erga saqsi. Dan kien ir-ragun li l-Federazzjoni poggiet dawk it-terms of reference biex kullhadd ikun jaf xi qed jigri u kif  ir-rappresentanti tad-dilettanti rikonoxxuti mil-Awtoritajiet Kompetenti qed jaghmlu u f-istess hin tingabar u tinghata informazzjoni u suggerimenti lid-dilettanti madwar Malta . Jekk ir-rappresentant tad-dilettanti jirtira mil kumitat l-affarijiet jibqaw sejrin xorta bid-differenza li ma inkunux nafu xi qed jigri u lanqas nopponu suggerimenti li huma ta' detriment ghad-delizzju.

Grazzi

Joe(Gogo)

[The_Gaffer]

Gogo, assolutament mhux minnu Dak li qed tghid li Jekk int tirtira minn dawn il laqat l-awtoritajiet jibqaw ghaddejjin. Jekk int tirtira, tissejjah laqa generali ghad dilettanti tas-sajd kollha aw Malta, u tgharraffom b'dak li qed jigri, nassigurak jienil-awtoritajiet jisimhu. L-awtoritajiet, specialment is sajjieda kummercjali u tat turizmu, Jafu li dan huwa laqwa zmien biex tiehu li trid mill gvern, u bil prezenza tieghek fdawn il laqat qed taghti l-barka tieghek fisem is sajjieda dilettanti kollha maltin biex dawn jibqaw ghaddejjin.

[Jonathan]

Grazzi tal-klarifikazzjonijiet Joe. Jekk se jsir xi tibdil f'xi policies dan ghandu jsir b'tali mod li l-interessi ta' kulhadd kif ukoll ta' l-ambjent jigu salvagwardati. Assolutament mhux accettabli li jsiru xi tibdiliet biex xi ftit kbar jigu agevolati ghal-iskapitu tal-hafna zghar. Ghaldaqstant importanti li bhala dilettanti tas-sajd nsemmghu lehennha.

[redhead]

I, like many others, own a fishing boat which is powered by an outboard motor which is greater than 100HP. Currently my boat is reistered as S but I have the option to change to Valletta cos the boat is longer than 20ft. But I am unable to register as MFC. Currently this is not an issue for me cos I can still fish with an S registration. Is anything to change? If anything is to change it should be for the better cos anyone into boating nowadays knows that an outboard motor is as clean and as efficiant at least as an inboard motor. So why the discrimination? Why these things only in Malta? Why now? Why us that have near zero impact on the sea?

I am all in favor of regulation. But regulations have to make sense and be written with the sea and it's inhabitants in mind, not with money in mind.

[The_Gaffer]

Following a very long discussion and chat with Dr. Joe Carabott (Gogo), I am in a better position now to state the following;

Dr. Joe Carabott confirmed most of my suspicions, being that some of the stakeholders present have been putting forward a number of proposals which would seriously restrict the recreational fisherman's hobby.  Sadly these proposals are coming from a number of quarters, but mainly from the TM+ MEPA and a host of other stakeholders who have no interest at all in recreational fishing. Surprisingly, infact I say this vey proudly, the Fishing cooperative representing the commercial fisherman have not so far raised objections or concerns towards recreational fisherman.  This is a very good sign indeed, as it demonstrates that there is a sense of comradeship between the us and the commercials.  
Back to the discussion.

Dr. Joe Carabott has so far been instrumental in pushing back most of the banal proposals being presented by the different stakeholders in this Sub-Committee.  We can safely say that Gogo's presence there has ensured that these banal proposals be shot down immediately they are presented for discussion.  So, contrary to my calls to Dr. Joe's Carabott retiring from this Sub Committee, I NOW believe Gogo is doing a lot of justice to our cause, and should continue to represent us and we should reciprocate by providing our full support.  I still stand by what I said, that these discussions are taking place too late in the day to do justice to our couse, and it seems there is a general rush by the establishment to rush through these proposals and enact them as law.
I will not go into the details of the meetings, I will allow Dr. Joe to expand on that.  We are even supporting the idea to jointly (MFF + Federation) call a national conference on these discussions, however, Dr. Joe, and I support him on this thesis, is slightly reluctant because it may get slightly emotional (ticcajta!!)

Lastly, the Federation has accepted the MFF's invitation to close ranks and jointly make the necessary representations with the political parties and to encourage the political parties to include their thoughts and direction in their respective electoral manifestos.  The Federation will be discussing this on Thursday as it is mandated by the statute of the federation that consensus must be sought before allowing representatives of the Federation to meet up with political parties.
In conclusion, it is our belief that until such time that the Federation decides to call the National meeting for Recreational Fisherman,  where the federation will make public all that is and has been agreed to, the MFF will team up with the Federation to provide a common front and provide all the necessary support including but not limited to having a healthy discussion on the forum.  

[caldaland]

why do i feel utterly dissappointed?

[frabel]

Joe (Gaffer) grazzi ta l-ahhar kontribuzzjoni tieghek.  Nista nassigurak li l-Federation taghmel hilitha kollha biex tahdem ma kull min huwa involut f'dan id-delizzju taghna.  Importanti li nkunu maghqudin ghax flimkien jirnexxielna nipprotegu id-delizzju taghna pero jekk mifrudin ikun ferm aktar facli ghall haddiehor li jtellfilna kollox.

Kien f'dan l-ispirtu li jien tfajt l-informazzjoni fuq dan il-Forum.  Barra minhekk nixtieq ninforma lill-kull dilettant li l-Federazzjoni qed taggorna il-website taghha bi kwalunkwe attivita li torganizza jew tattendi.  Il-Website address hu http://federazzjoni.webs.com .

[lazyfisherman]

I think that Gaffer's initiative of setting up meetings with political parties is an excellent and commendable initiative. At least we will know better where we stand.

Over-regulation of recreational fishing will spoil our pastime. We go fishing to take a break and relax not to worry ourselves stiff whether we are completely in line with a myriad of regulations. Of course we do not want a free for all but the major stakeholders here are the dilettanti and any changes in regulations should be the result of consultation and joint decision making between the authorities and the recreational fishermen.

I have no idea what the people coming up with this idea of regulating recreational fishing have in mind but I hope there are no hidden agendas behind the proposal of restrcting fishing in certain zones, such as restricting fishing in harbours so that larger boats, water taxis, commercial vessels, yachts and other large craft can have it all to themselves.

There are hundreds of tiny boats (less than 12 feet) which for obvious reasons have to fish exclusively in ports and harbours. Many of these tiny boats are owned by pensioners and low-income individuals who have as much right to use the harbours as the larger vessels.

[baghira]

As I said previously, discussion would go on without any interruptions from the recereational fisherman if Dr. Carabot had to leave the meetings. So I thrust he is taking the right decisions.

I will read any future developments and if, needed attend and urge more poeple to do the same, if a general meeting is held.

Hope that individuals are aware that we are a group of responsible people, that beside being fishermen, and we practice our sport with love, and respect, and take great care of our natural habitat.

[shanook]

Why do I feel that I have gone thru something similar when the PTF was abolished???
I remember the great injustice of the owners of vessels above the 6mtr that didnt want to register Valletta since they had no intention of going out of the 25 Mile zone, there were others who were of older age and even stated that they will not even go out of the 4 mile zone as all they do is pass some time fishing along the coast BUT hey ho with the blessing of the federation they had to pay two licences.
When we were informed that we made a BIG gain as we were allowed to use rod and reel to go out fishing.
That we couldnt catch swordfish and keep it when other EU countries could do so.
That we couldnt catch Tuna and keep it when (in those days) others were allowed to keep a fish (according to size regulations) per outing.
That we were lucky as we could still fish for Alungi.

We all know what happened with the PTF licence and how it was changed to MFA, MFB and MFC. I remember when Labour where going to introduce a minimum limit of fish to be taken by PTF boats to the fishmarket (pixkerija), all hell broke lose and we had dictatorship splashed all over the place. Now those who thought that it was going to be an easy task to make up the quota have realised and have relinquised MFB and are now MFC. It is eaasy to make a quota but if there are no safe harbours where to keep the boat in the water all year round. The funny part is that when the fishing is good, the insurance wont cover you in most harbours around Malta.

I am in favour of regulations, limitations, conservations etc etc  BUT first start making regulations to those that are hurting the sea, all decent fisherman know who. I remember the nets being tied to our moorings at Birzebbugia harbour.

The Maltese system has been like this and I dont think it will change very easily, the authorities involve a number of representatives and then when they (the authorities) decide (and this is usually a decision that favours the Powers that be) they say that all concerned were consulted, and we had the chance of stating our views.
Ask any member of the Amateur fishing clubs in Malta that are affiliated with the federation, whether they knew about the new system(the change from PTF to MFA,B,C) . there were clubs that didnt even tell the members about the changes.
That is the past and I dont want to live there, But the past should be an eye opener for the future.