Cages used for fish farming were placed in St Thomas Bay without a permit. (Photo: Chris Sant Fournier)

Fish farms are not to be blamed for the slime

MALTA
Friday, March 17, 2017, 21:00 (GMT + 9)

The slime that appeared off the coast a few days ago had not come from fish farms but was natural foam, according to the Environment and Resource Authority (ERA).

The conclusion was shared by the parliamentary secretary for agriculture and fisheries, Roderick Galdes, in parliament this week during the debate on the Fisheries Conservation and Management (Amendment) Bill, The Times of Malta reported.

The officer recalled that the same had happened last October when similar spawn hit Portomaso and even Sicily.

He said the government had taken action against fish farms when these did not abide with their permits but they should not be blamed for the slime and recognised that fish farms were important to the economy and the government would do everything for their expansion.

Anyway, the Environment and Resource Authority said it is carrying out a scientific investigation into the repeated appearance of slime in bays around Malta.

Reports emerged over the weekend of large amounts of white foam in the sea beneath Wignacourt Tower in St Paul’s Bay and close to Exiles in Sliema, the latest in a long series of similar incidents dating back to last summer.

In several cases last summer, the slime was deemed to have emanated from fish farms around the island, but farm operators have denied any responsibility for more recent occurrences.

Contacted by the Times of Malta, an ERA spokesperson confirmed the authority was aware of the cases in the last few days and was collaborating with the University of Malta “to investigate such occurrences in a scientific manner”.

Widespread reports of oily slime in several bays picked up pace last summer, with a report commissioned by the environment ministry identifying fish farms as the source. At that time, operators admitted the sludge was caused by a new fish feed with higher fat content.

Official documents have revealed that planning permits for four operators were revoked in September in part over the negative environmental impact, which breached permit conditions, as well as other continuing illegalities.

Therefore, all cages are now required to be moved to an approved aquaculture zone six kilometres off the coast in the south of Malta, although two operators have since filed appeals.

But fish farm operators categorically denied any responsibility for later occurrences, including a large amount of glutinous foam that washed over the Portomaso Marina during a severe storm in October.

“This slime has absolutely nothing to do with us,” Joseph Caruana, director of Fish and Fish, told the Times of Malta at the time.

“We have asked the government to carry out an investigation to establish this once and for all, and we’re going to keep putting pressure until it’s resolved,” Caruana concluded.
 

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