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6 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 15 SEPTEMBER 2019 KARL AZZOPARDI LAMPUKI fishermen fishing off the north-western coast of the island, are facing off Tuni- sian fishers who are repeatedly fishing off floats laid out by the Maltese, and even stealing their floating devices. The clash has seen Tunisians threatening the Maltese with weapons and Molotov cock- tails, while destroying the kan- nizzati prepared by the Maltese months before. Eyewitnesses also spoke about a 65-foot vessel, nicknamed the 'Bin Laden', whose aggressive tactics are used to muscle the Maltese off their lines. Yet Gozitan fishermen who spoke to MaltaToday on condi- tion of anonymity said the situ- ation has become a daily occur- rence when they go out at sea. Gozitans are, in fact, among the most badly affected by the Tunisians, as their kannizzati are laid out closer to Tunisian territory. The fishermen, who are vis- ibly frustrated at the situation, explained how their livelihood was in jeopardy as the number of Tunisian vessels increase every year. "The situation is unbearable, as they don't even allow us to work," they said. "The Tunisians band in num- bers of five boats or more, and proceed to fish, while one of their vessels keeps Maltese fishermen off the lines," says one of the Gozitan fishermen who clashed with the 'Bin Lad- en' earlier on in the season. "I actually found the 65-foot vessel's crew fishing on my lines. When I proceeded to try and drive them away from the lines, they didn't take it well, and proceeded to drive at full- speed towards me," the fisher- man said. "It started steaming in my direction, at full speed, to try and ram my boat. I just started driving away at full speed, and at one point, the bow was as close as two feet away from the stern of my boat. Had we had any engine failure, God knows what would have happened," the distraught fisherman said. The fishermen also said they had witnessed some 10 men from the 'Bin Laden' crew standing at the front end of the vessel, threatening the Maltese fishermen. "I was scared. Imag- ine having ten men threatening you with machetes, big iron washers and Molotov cock- tails," he said. The Tunisians also threaten the Gozitan fishermen by cut- ting loose the jablo floats used for their kannizzati: in one case, a fisherman says they left a knife stuck into them, en- graved with the words 'Made in Tunisia'. The Maltese fishers are fear- ing the worst if the authorities do not tend to the situation. "Things will escalate, and there will be blood, I'm sure of it," he said. "This job has be- come unfeasible. I am consid- ering retiring. We're already preparing for next season, but then we have to contend with these poachers. I am fed up," one fisherman said. The fishermen also claim they have lost €7,000 in damaged goods every season. "Every time we go out, we're taking 30 kannizzati with us, because the Tunisians destroy what we have out there," one of them said. Anthony Gruppetta, the former Director General of Malta's fisheries department, said the situation can only be resolved inside the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), the regional body that ensures conservation and sustainable use of fish stocks. The 24-party commission in- cludes Malta and Tunisia. Gruppetta said concerns had already been raised with Tuni- sian authorities back in 2002. "At first they had denied any poaching, but when photos and footage were presented to them, the fishing vessels were called in," he said. However, the peace did not last for long, and soon enough the poachers were once again harassing Maltese fishers. Gruppetta said kannizzatti, technically called fishing ag- gregation devices (FADs) by the GFCM, cannot be used by other fishermen if they are cor- rectly labelled with the permit or vessel number. "The situa- tion out there is obviously quite different, and the Tunisians are not respecting international regulations," he said. "The lampuka was in the past not a commercialised fish, ex- cept in Malta and a few Italian coastal villages. Today a lot of countries are realising that dolphin fish are quite easy to catch, and come at a cheaper cost when compared to other species," Gruppetta said. NEWS The Commission on Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence, within the Ministry for European Affairs and Equality, is seeking to recruit the following personnel: MANAGER (Projects) Jobsplus Permit No. 5/2019 For further details and application guidelines contact: Commission on Gender-Based Violence and Domestic Violence, Continental Business Centre, Old Railway Track, Sta Venera Phone: 22957190 E-mail: domesticviolence@gov.mt The Skinny Malta, shrunk down No 1: Independence Day What are we skinning? Malta's annual Independence Day, celebrated next week - September 21. So, what's the skinny? Malta gained Independence from Britain in 1964, with negotiations overseen by then-Prime Minister Gorg Borg Olivier of the Nationalist Party. Why are we skinning it? Because as it happens, Independence Day is something of a 'matryoshka doll' of Malta's national holidays. How so? After Independence Day came Republic Day on December 13, 1974, commemorating the day the Queen of England no longer had anything to do with our laws and constitution. And it was only on March 31, 1979 - celebrated as 'Freedom Day' - that the last remaining British troops sailed away from Malta for good, under the watchful eye of firebrand prime minister Dom Mintoff. So Independence wasn't a 'one- and-done' deal for Malta, then? Not really. Hence, matryoshka. Why is that necessary? Can't we just have one encompassing holiday. Ha! You sweet summer child… What? Well, let's just say the political legacy of all this is rather fraught. Let's keep it as simple as possible: having happened under the Nationalist Gorg Borg Olivier, Independence Day was always heralded as that party's benchmark festivity. So this is the big freedom bash for the PN, then? Funny you should say that. What's up? Any other year, the answer to your question would have been an uncomplicated 'yes'. But there's a sting in the tail this time around. As it happens, the PN's trademark celebration – or 'Indifest' – to commemorate Independence will not be taking place at its usual venue of the Granaries in Floriana. Because they're broke? Essentially, yes. Hmmm. So will it be Netflix and chill for PN supporters come next Sunday? Well, not really. Celebrations are still on, only they will be taking place at the more humble Nationalist Party HQ ('Dar Centrali') at Blata l-Bajda, in a move that PN Secretary General Clyde Puli describes as "a responsible decision which ensures the celebrations will go on without placing any additional burden on the party coffers". Clever Clyde! Do say: "It sure feels nice to be free from the shackles of colonial rule." Don't say: "Yes okay, Boris Johnson would sort-of be our PM right now, but maybe we'd have nicer public gardens and better-landscaped village cores if the Brits never left?" 'There will be blood. I'm sure' Gozitan lampuki fishermen insist lack of action will drive them out of the industry Former fisheries director Anthony Gruppetta: concerns had already been raised with Tunisian authorities back in 2002. "At first they had denied any poaching, but when photos and footage were presented to them, the fishing vessels were called in," he said