Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1082991
2 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 17 FEBRUARY 2019 CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 "The anonymous complaint alleged that [fisheries director] Andreina Fenech Farrugia had allowed Mare Blu to make mil- lions from larger market alloca- tions, to the detriment of rival firms like Malta Fish Farming, and Fish & Fish," the source said. A spokesperson for the en- vironment ministry said that action was taken in 2017 with a legal notice that introduced more controls on the weighting of harvested tuna. However, at one point, the inquiry pointed out that Mare Blu was also benefiting from the fact that the spouse of one of its managers, Rita Spiteri, was a highly-placed fisheries directorate official, working by the side of Fenech Farrugia. "In 2018, a surprise inspection was carried out on a Mare Blu vessel which found two tons of illegally harvested tuna, with- out BCDs (Bluefin tuna catch documentation)… the boat was not seized, and the directorate allowed Mare Blu to change the name of the captain so it would not adversely affect any of the company's owners. The process was carried out over a matter of hours," MaltaToday's source said. The ministry confirmed that the inquiry had also recognised this problem, saying the con- flict of interest could "lead to a lack of trust in public admin- istration". Spiteri, who was an assistant director on regula- tion, was moved to assistant director of administration and support service. All throughout the inquiry and a separate police investi- gation into tuna bribery alle- gations – now having evolved into a magisterial inquiry – Fenech Farrugia was retained as fisheries director, until last week, when she was suspend- ed in the wake of a Spanish investigation into laundered tuna catches, which intercept- ed phone calls she had with José Fuentes Garcia, of the tuna ranching giant Ricardo Fuentes Group. Spanish phone line Yesterday, Fenech Farrugia would not explain why she had been intercepted speaking in- timately to Fuentes on several occasions, using a Spanish tel- ephone number which inves- tigators say was also paid by Fuentes. "I have nothing else to add to my right of reply," Fenech Far- rugia said when asked whether it was normal business for the head of an authority to have a direct phone-line paid by a business operator she was sup- posed to regulate. While Fenech Farrugia has denied any wrongdoing over allegations that she could have been paid a bribe by Fuentes, the fisheries director did not inform the environment min- ister or his permanent secre- tary of the questions sent to her by Spanish newspaper El Confidencial which she re- ceived 10 days before news broke of her telephonic conver- sations with Fuentes. The ques- tions were left unanswered. Various fishermen who are critical of the fisheries directo- rate or Malta's tuna farming gi- ants, spoke candidly – although on condition of anonymity – about the state of regulatory action on fisheries in Malta. Illegalities abound One fisherman was especially critical of the Maltese tuna ranching industry. "All the tuna operators are well over their allocated quo- tas, and they get away with il- legalities while local fishermen are fined for the smallest trans- gression." The same fisherman men- tioned the same episode re- layed to another MaltaToday journalist by another source, of a Mare Blu vessel which was allowed to change its registered captain when it was caught with illegally harvested tuna. "This kind of advantage was not shown to some other fish- ers whose boats were seized when they were found with far less quantities of illegally har- NOTICE BY THE ELECTORAL COMMISSION European Parliament Election & Local Councils' Elections – May 2019 Persons to serve as Assistant Electoral Commissioners, Polling Place Officers and Counting Staff The Electoral Commission notifies that it will receive applications from eligible persons to serve as Assistant Electoral Commissioners, Polling Place Officers and Counting Staff in the forthcoming European Parliament and Local Council Elections due on Saturday, 25th May, 2019. Applicants would be expected to attend briefing sessions held by the Electoral Commission in due course. Applications will be received by the Electoral Commission at the Naxxar Counting Complex (Ex-Trade Fair Grounds) From: Monday 18th to Friday 22nd February Between: 3.00 pm and 8.00 pm And on: Saturday 23rd February Between: 8.00 am and 1.00 pm Applicants must present their Identity Card. Persons residing in Gozo may apply at the Identity Cards Office, 28A, St. Francis Square, Victoria, Gozo. Application forms, the only ones admissible, may be obtained from the Electoral Office at the Naxxar Counting Complex during the mentioned days and hours or may be downloaded from the Electoral Commission's website: https://electoral.gov.mt/Elections/ApplicationForm www.electoral.gov.mt NEWS "You can get four fish having used the same BCD… two go to Japan, and the other two go to Spain" - former fisheries department employee Fenech refuses to explain why she had Spanish telephone line