Suggested Regulations for Recreational Fishermen Report

[shanook]

@ Bigboy...don't try to lumber what was being done under PN on the PL.  we know we were being screwed now we have to see what is going to happen. If they try to screw us I will be the first to condemn them but for now it seems that there was an improvement as the MFF were consulted.
I am sure that the worst of this administration will be a lot better than the previous one...... Malta taghna lkoll ghax futur fis sod..

[Accjolaman]

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.

Dawk il proposti gew mbazwra min nies li mghandomx idea la tas sajd u lanqas ta bahar, u milli jidher hemm se jibqaw.

[busumark]

Nick and Gaffer if you need any help just tell me.

[Jonathan]

Yep, what about Valletta registered boats?

And in which cases is a licence needed? - What about boats which simply troll a lure (irejxu) whilst travelling around the local coast? And what about foreign flagged boats which visit Malta - eg. the several Italians which come in summer for their holidays with their boat? Does this mean that anyone who wants to troll a lure whilst travelling would now need an MFC licence too? And if this is the case, at what additional cost over the existing TM registration could this be obtained in the first instance and on a per annum basis?

And what if one stops at a bay, and would like to use the tender to troll a bit around for 'kahli bir-rixa or forok'? Would the tender have to have a fishing licence too? & a tracker? My tender doesn't even have a battery - it's a tiny inflatable & normally oar powered or in rare occasions I use a miniature 2.5 or 3.3hp outboard so I cannot imagine where or how it could have a tracker! Mhux xi April fool's joke din hux?

What different conditions are being envisaged for tourist fishing? What constitutes tourist fishing? If someone has a person of a non-Maltese nationality onboard would he be considered as tourist fishing? What about charters where the main aim of enjoying the local bays but would like to try his luck 'bir'rixa' whilst cruising from one bay to the next or would like to fiish with the rod for something like vopi whilst anchored? How will 'tourist fishing' be classified? How will the rights/permits of tourist fishing differ from the rights of an individual Maltese recreational fisher? Would an MFCT be able to fish somewhere where the others cannot? Or would the MFCT not be able to fish in areas where the other can fish? Or would the type of fishing techniques allowed vary? I'm puzzled.

[skip]

I can confirm following a meeting today attended by myself and Joe The Gaffer and that was kindly extended to us by the new Parliamentary Secretary - Mr Roderick Galdes; that the fisheries board have all resigned following the change in government and that all previous proposals are no longer valid. As was indicated back in October on the MFF, the work done by the sub-committee is no longer recognised and the whole process will have to start afresh once the new Fisheries board is appointed and then a sub committee.

This time we would like to see due and fair representation by the RIGHT stakeholders with the correct number seats from the recreational sector and this time how about those from the local supporting industry (Boat Builder and Tackle Shop Supplier) plus the MFF and a direct representative from the Spearo community. We are here to discuss recreational fishing and not part time commercial fishing interests.

We have been asked to directly contact the Director of Fisheries Mr. Joseph Caruana to re-establish the direct communication channel we used to have with Fisheries in the past.

I would like to thank Mr. Galdes for meeting with us during this very busy time and to Joe the Gaffer for setting up the meeting and also those who offered their assistance.

[The_Gaffer]

Happy to confirm the above post.  We spent a good 40 minutes with the Parliamentary Secretary, who was keen to listen and note what we had to say.  Mr. Galdes assured us that from now on, the MFF will be represented and consulted whenever decisions directly having an impact on our recreational activity are in the pipeline.  In fact, to prove his point, he got onto the phone with the Director of Fisheries, and informed him that the MFF will be getting in touch for further discussions.  Needless to say, what was discussed by the previous committee, needs to be revisted and validated.  
All in all, a good introductory meeting, which saw the MFF exerting damage control on the proposals which have been agreed by a previous sub committee.  These will now be the subject of discussions with the present Director of Fisheries, and will reflect the true spirit of recreational fishing activities.  
Your comments and suggestions here have all been noted and will be taken up with the competent authorities once we start discussions.  Please keep those comments positive, we need to demonstrate that we are above petty politics, unwarented comments and uncalled for jibs.  
May I take this opportunity to thank the Parliamentary Secretary, Mr. Roderick Galdes, for kindly giving us an apointment just a couple of days after we requested one. I would also like to convey my thanks to the many people here who have sent PM's as a show of gratitude and encouragement.

[shanook]

I would extend thanks as well to unheralded contributors who on the side line helped in the previous meetings with PL and now with the parliamentary secretary. I know there are those who work quietly without wanting to be advertised. To these I say Thank You for your support to keep our hobby alive and kicking.
Thanks also to Skip and Joe who have taken the responsibility to represent us thru MFF ( you better get the right conditions otherwise there will be a lynching posse out for ya).
Thanks to the parliamentary secretary who heard our plea, even though and I know what I am saying he has a thousand things to do.
Now we have to keep a positive attitude and suggest ideas and queries so that when MFF meets with the director we wont be caught napping. If we show that we know our business, we will be respected and trusted.  the questions set out by Jonathan, Baghira are valid.
I suggest that a set of posts are opened so that the various sectors that make up the forum will have an organised space where they can post their queries and suggestions. (eg spearos, land fishing, inshore(small boats) fishing, offshore fishing, long line and deep sea fishing, amateur fads fishing. etc etc
I think a post that concerns mooring can be beneficial, as well as construction of wave breakers and jetties. These will attract tourists to take walks as well as fish off the jetty. A post to make artificial reefs would be interesting...................Any other suggestions anyone??

[lazyfisherman]

Very welcome news indeed.

While we (me!!) grumble and post our frustration, gaffer and skip (and anybody else who may be involved) roll up their sleeves and work so that we can continue enjoying our pastime! Again prosit and thank you!

[bmamo]

So this is starting again from a clean slate? Great Thanks for the work and good luck with keeping recrational fishing appealing to a wide audience.

[Moonwalker]

Great work as always. Keep it up.

[baghira]

This sounds good to me....ahhhhh....
Something nice to hear.. and at least finally some positive approach and involvement.

Hope it goes on this positive pace, and we are not lost along the way, as many time happens when politics is involved. I would like to see the end of this but obviously we must be patient and do good teamwork.

We must protect our hobby but on the other side, also the wellbeing of our seas, and for this reason we must accept the fact, that some kind of restriction need to be done.

The key feature to me is a good, and polite enforcement, starting by eduaction, and then ending in punishments to those that persist breaking the law. We all know why we ended this way... simply because there are some individuals putting at risk our delights by polishing our seas, and although there are laws, there is no authority seeing that they are being observed.

One last comment:
I cannot see the difference between S and MFC besides the registration fee? Are they both recreational? Why was this MFC invented? And as shanook rightly said, whay writing what can be done, instead of writing what is illegal or not permitted?

There are many things that can be done like: Moorings, stricly preserving some protected sites which have to be clearly studied, restoration of all Jetties around the island, CCTV at specific points of our seas Like between selmun and St. Paul's Islands.... and other never ending ideas...

[malvizzu]

Finally a ray of light and hope for our hobby. A big thanks to Joe Gaffer and Nick Skip for their undying persistence in this matter and to others who might have helped in anyway. Also another thanks to Mr Roderick Galdes for obliging to meet urgently with MFF. May the outcome of all this provides enjoyable fishing and relaxation to all.

[Moonwalker]

I think the MFC license part has been explained by Gogo in the other thread.
I dont see a reason to be against it once the 100HP outboard limit is removed. S or Valletta is the ship registration while MFC is a license for recreational/sports fishing.
Ofcourse there are some exceptions as explained by Jonathan and these have to be clarified.

[shanook]

Won't go into it free dive but MFA,B,C was created to start a natural death to those amateurs who used to bring in fish and when they had abundance they could sell it(PTF).  To stop the selling of fish by amateurs they invented this system. Look at what is happening those who had MFB are slowly dying out. This to accommodate the full time fisherman.

[Granitu]

I can confirm following a meeting today attended by myself and Joe The Gaffer and that was kindly extended to us by the new Parliamentary Secretary - Mr Roderick Galdes; that the fisheries board have all resigned following the change in government and that all previous proposals are no longer valid. As was indicated back in October on the MFF, the work done by the sub-committee is no longer recognised and the whole process will have to start afresh once the new Fisheries board is appointed and then a sub committee.

This time we would like to see due and fair representation by the RIGHT stakeholders with the correct number seats from the recreational sector and this time how about those from the local supporting industry (Boat Builder and Tackle Shop Supplier) plus the MFF and a direct representative from the Spearo community. We are here to discuss recreational fishing and not part time commercial fishing interests.

We have been asked to directly contact the Director of Fisheries Mr. Joseph Caruana to re-establish the direct communication channel we used to have with Fisheries in the past.

I would like to thank Mr. Galdes for meeting with us during this very busy time and to Joe the Gaffer for setting up the meeting and also those who offered their assistance.

Well done skip & gaffer for this.

Finally what seems to be a movement in the right direction.

I think that a lot of effort has to go to open the tuna fishing season for the recreational fisherman the right way.

We spend a lot of money on boats and lures and in itself this is a business sector important for the economy. Cut the abuse and introduce the catch and release policy (because tuna can be landed on .80mm line) + scientifically proven bag limits (sustainability is important).