Suggested Regulations for Recreational Fishermen Report

skip · March 30, 2013, 20:54:53 CET

Suggested Regulations for Recreational Fishermen Report prepared by the Sub Committee of the Fisheries Board

From: Federazzjoni ta l-Ghaqdiet tas-Sajjieda Dilettanti Malta

"The Federation will be holding its Annual General Meeting very shortly. The date, time and venue will be advised in the next few days.

This year the Annual General Meeting will be open to ALL RECREATIONAL FISHERMEN irrespective of whether they are members of any of our member associations or not. During this meeting the Federation will discuss the regulations for recreational fishermen suggested by the sub committee of the Fisheries Board appointed in October 2012. The report prepared by this sub committee was presented to the Director of Fisheries in the middle of March so that it will be further discussed by the Fisheries Board once this is again reappointed.

A copy of the report (in maltese) - has been attached"
___________________________________________________

We would very much appreciate our member views on these proposals, your comments and feedback/suggestions.

shanook · March 30, 2013, 22:21:58 CET

does not even deserve a comment................

Moonwalker · March 31, 2013, 01:04:20 CET

I took a quick look and dont see any drastic new regulations being proposed. Its the bag limit rule that will hurt the most but this is still being studied it seems.
The MFC license for all fishing boats does make sense once the 100HP outboard limit is removed.

bmamo · April 01, 2013, 00:26:48 CET

I have a boat, with an inboard 1.8 diesel engine, registered as S. With these regulations would I have to change to MFC? Am I even allowed to get MFC?

I don't really like that tracking proposal. Who will have to be tracked? When? Why?

benri · April 01, 2013, 08:06:51 CET

In these regulations, there is no mention of boats above 6m registered under Valletta!
All they refer to is the SSR who would like an MFC and nothing about Valletta who would like an MFC!

Moonwalker · April 01, 2013, 09:56:28 CET

As I understand it ALL boats will have to get an MFC license to be able to fish.
The tracking system will involve a huge cost to all boats and I dont think it is feasable.

malvizzu · April 01, 2013, 10:28:32 CET

Something very very fishy and rotten is building up, especially with the mentioning of Sajd Turistiku (fishing charters for tourists). But what makes me laugh (or cry most) is Point A – "Illi l-Industrija tas-Sajd f'Malta hija wahda mill-pilastri ewlenin u fundamentali tal-ekonomija Maltija" (that the fishing industry is one of the main pillars of the Maltese economy). What a farse!!!!!! My opinion is more likely to be Point D "Illi s-sajd rikreazzjonali holoq fih innifsu industrija zghira ta' importaturi ta' irkaptu, ta' kostrutturi u mportaturi ta' varjeta kbira ta' bastimenti tas-sajd, magni, ingenji u attrezzi relattivi" (importers of boats, local manufacturers of boats, fishing tackle, fishing equipment etc) which is generating a large economy in Malta. Every recreational fisherman knows how many hundreds not to mention thousands of Euros spent each year just to enjoy fishing. The continuing mentioning of Sajd Turistiku is very very worrying indeed!!!!

bigboy · April 01, 2013, 10:54:08 CET

Lestu ruhkom ghal dak li gej !!!!!!!!

Z*** Kbir u mqammar !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dan ghax malta taghna lkoll ??

lazyfisherman · April 01, 2013, 11:47:41 CET

Some of the suggested regulations don't really make sense

1. Tracking system - what sort of tracking system is the fisheries directorate suggesting for my boat - a 10 foot fiber runabout with a 3 hp engine! As if I can go anywhere that needs tracking!!

2. Regarding the techniques that can or cannot be used - various common techniques particularly some] used from small boats are simply excluded from the lists providing, meaning that they are neither allowed nor not allowed! Here are a couple of examples. I'm sure others can come up with more

Xolfa/qasab - so xolfa tal-klamari are ok.

But what about xolfa tal-qarnit and tas-sicc? i'm sure many here are aware that many (particularly older enthusiasts) regularly fish for octopus from small rowing boats using a real/artificial crab, white cloth and a polpara. This is neither allowed, nor disallowed under thesesuggested regulations!!

So we can use xolfa tal-vopi, tal -kavalli, tas-sawrell.

Fine, but what about xolfa ghal-kahli (at night - ghad-dawl tal-punent)?
What about xolfa ghal-imsell (bil-bacon jew strixxa klamar)?
What about xolfa for mulett u xilep (Bis-sufrun fil port min fuq il-baga tieghek jew ta siehbek)?

Again these are neither allowed nor disallowed!

Rix - we can use various rix, but what is being understood by rix? Are minnows rix? What about trolling with livebait or with strips of squid? Nothing refers to these in these suggested regulations. Are these allowed or not?

The above examples show how right Shanook was when he suggested that the rules should clearly state what is banned rather than what is allowed. There are so many fishing methods and hybrid methods and improvisations that it is difficult to include everything when listing approved techniques.

It also seems that the types of fishing typically done from very small boats were not given enough consideration when these regulations were being discussed.

The_Gaffer · April 01, 2013, 15:19:42 CET

Quote from: bigboy on April 01, 2013, 10:54:08 CET
Lestu ruhkom ghal dak li gej !!!!!!!!

Z*** Kbir u mqammar !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dan ghax malta taghna lkoll ??

Kemm inserrah ras kullhadd. Jien u Nick (Skip) ghadna kif spiccajna laqgha mas-Segretarju Parlamentari Is-Sur Roderick Galdes. Dawn il-proposti jirreflettu idejat precedenti ta Gvern precedenti. Skip issa jtella post b'iktar informazjoni, u la nasal id-dar illejla, nzomm il-kullhadd informat b'dak li gie diskuss.
Grazzi.

malvizzu · April 01, 2013, 15:47:59 CET

Thanks Joe much appreciated!

bmamo · April 01, 2013, 16:18:11 CET

Looking forward for more info. Thanks for the work you put in.

baghira · April 01, 2013, 17:18:42 CET

Waiting for the news, so that maybe someone understands what is happening.

Until now:
The federation is about to do a meeting for something that has been done somehow, and that now it might not reflect the ideas of the new legislature, but at least we have some pages to read........
and something else is being done, but hidden??

Should we recreational fisherman be involved into something? What should we do now to fight for our hobby? Who is right and wrong? Buqq..

lazyfisherman · April 01, 2013, 17:28:43 CET

We will have to wait and see! Meanwhile thanks Gaffer and Skip for all the work in favour of our hobby. It is much appreciated.

The_Gaffer · April 01, 2013, 17:40:09 CET

Quote from: lazyfisherman on April 01, 2013, 17:28:43 CET
We will have to wait and see! Meanwhile thanks Gaffer and Skip for all the work in favour of our hobby. It is much appreciated.

Appreciate the acknowledgement. I have nothing to hide, I have always made myself perfectly clear on this matter. I was, and still am against people who by being in authority think they can bulldoze their ideas and thoughts on others. There is nothing being done behind anyone's back.
I simply stated that I'll post the full text of our meeting from home as I am busy at work. Unlike others, here at the Malta Fishing Forum we always did things openly, in full view of everybody, and with the involvment of all.