Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1504500
Lina Klesper Lina Klesper is a Legal Assistant at PKF Malta, an audit and consultancy firm 8 OPINION 27.7.2023 The million-dollar tuna ranching sector T he million-dollar tuna ranching and fattening industry has long been a prominent player in Malta, generating substantial revenue through the export of tuna to Japan. However, public opinion on the operation of this indigenous industry in our open seas, has been connected to causing contamination of local beaches and the seabed, leading to environmental harm and user conflicts in the coastal zones. Naturally, the four main ranching companies strongly resist such accusations. It is an understatement to comment how political patronage is enjoyed by the sector. e tuna ranching and fattening indus- try's practices have been accused (par- ticularly in summer) to have wreaked havoc on the delicate ecosystems of coastal areas. Reports indicate that those coastal areas and the seabed close to the fish pens, once thriving with diverse marine life, are now marred by contam- ination. A pressing matter that could be connected to the fish farming industry is that the once-abundant population of sea urchins (rizzi), vital for maintaining a bal- anced marine ecosystem, has dwindled to the point of near extinction. No scientific studies have been re- leased to discover what was the cause of sea urchin extinction. e authorities woke up late to this marine disaster and this month urchins been protected by a two-year moratorium on their collection in Maltese waters. To replenish the sea population within two years, a restocking program has been launched, involving the cultivation of sea urchins at San Luċjan and their subsequent release into the sea. It could be that the rizzi are not only en- dangered by popular demand from gour- mets and the lucrative business in the global trade but also by ecological imbal- ances allegedly caused by extensive fish farming. Due to insufficient clean-ups of the area under the cages, the benthic en- vironment gets disturbed by organic mat- ter from decaying baitfish, which causes stress and limited survival rates for the epifauna including sea urchins in those areas with organic material enriched sediment. Luckily, it seems that the tuna penning sites do not have a negative im- pact on the Posidonia oceanica meadows since the farms are located at depths of 80 metres above sandy bottoms where Posi- donia does not grow. Further research is needed to grasp the impact of tuna pen- ning operations on the adjacent marine ecosystems. Predominant in the controversy around the tuna penning operations is the slime that plagues Malta´s coastal regions dis- turbing the public in popular recreation- al areas. Beaches as well as bathing bays have become plagued by an unsightly and unhealthy slime deterring the public from enjoying the once pristine waters. e te- dious sea slime derives from excess bait- fish feed, fish mucus and frozen blocks of baitfish left to thaw in the cages at sea containing a slick of protein and fat. Even though the slime is of natural or- igin and is biodegradable, it will cause poor surface water quality during feed- ing and unpleasant nuisances on Mal- ta´s coast for the duration of two weeks. is unfortunate consequence of the tuna ranching industry poses a signifi- cant threat to the tourism industry and the overall appeal of coastal regions. Even though measures are in place to prevent any leakage of slime by trained employees collecting and capturing any uncaptured slime by keeping all marine installations clean and using high-quality baitfish, sad- ly, malpractice stays a recurring issue. Despite the environmental havoc caused domestically, the tuna ranching industry continues to flourish due to its lucrative export market in Japan. e high demand for high-quality Atlantic bluefin tuna in Japan, driven by cultural and culinary preferences, especially in the sushi-sashi- mi market, has created a profitable op- portunity for this industry. Maltese tuna enjoys a formidable reputation in Japan and stands for good quality. Malta is the top producer of bluefin tuna in the European Union generating over €200 million in 2021 after an almost 15% increase in quotas. It is safe to say that aq- uaculture makes up a significant contri- bution to the Maltese economy. Hence, no wonder that PMC issued last year for economic activities within Malta´s Exclu- sive Economic Zone explicitly list fisher- ies and aquaculture projects besides cur- rently widely discussed renewable energy projects. One of the most clandestine aspects of the tuna ranching industry is its deep-rooted connection with ruling top politicians. is close affiliation has raised eyebrows, prompting speculation about the role of political patronage in facilitat- ing the industry's operations. With ruling politicians backing the industry, ques- tions arise about whether the welfare of the environment and local communities is genuinely prioritized. It would be no surprise if more aqua- cultural farms were to appear in plan- ning the use of Malta´s EEZ. Just in the beginning of this year, the Qala local council has expressed its concerns over a planned private tuna farm in the new proposed North Aquaculture Zone off Malta´s north coast. e Gozitan coast and Blue Lagoon could be affected daily by oil slicks potentially as large as 10 me- tres cubes. According to the ERA Environment Im- pact Assessment for the new aquaculture zone, 9 tonnes of fish oil could be released daily from 34 planned cages. Even though methods to mitigate the release of fish oil from the pens are introduced by tuna operators, particularly during rough sea conditions, they are never entirely effi- cient. Hence, the new aquaculture pro- ject could spell serious trouble for tour- ism and Gozo´s local economy. Recognising the urgent need to address the industry's harmful environmental practices, efforts have been made to re- duce sea contamination and turn the industry more sustainable. Malta´s tuna federation pledges to follow the highest standards and sees sustainability as part of the industry itself. F or example, to render the lucrative tuna penning less harmful to the environment, now that ESG rules will be unleashed in Europe, Malta Enterprise awarded a fac- tory to process fish offal and dead pieces, with the aim of producing fishmeal as fodder or fertilizer. is shows efforts towards a more cir- cular economic undertaking, where usu- ally 25% of the fish was being wasted and dumped back into the sea. is waste is now being turned into fishmeal for pet foods and nutraceutical products at a rel- atively new and innovative facility at Ħal Far. After heavy protests from villagers complaining about nuisance from odour caused by processing fish offal, action was taken by ranchers to tighten up on emis- sions during production. While this initiative demonstrates a step in the right direction, concerns remain about the factory's emissions and the un- pleasant odours they generate. Generally, the measures' effectiveness and long-term sustainability remain subjects of ongoing debate. It is crucial to address these issues and explore sustainable alternatives that protect the environment while maintain- ing economic viability. In conclusion while return on invest- ment is high for tuna ranchers, it pales in comparison with revenue from the tourist sector. Sadly, due to low quality bathing conditions this may directly reduce tour- ist attraction. e latter generates ten times more revenue to GDP. The tuna ranching industry continues to flourish due to its lucrative export market in Japan