Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1536441
8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 15 JUNE 2025 NEWS PRE-ANNOUNCEMENT OF CALL: EUROPEAN MARITIME FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE FUND PROGRAMME FOR MALTA 2021-2027 The Ministry responsible for EU Funds is pre-announcing the following calls under the European Maritime Fisheries and Aquaculture Fund Programme 2021-2027: Call 16 - Diversification not related to commercial fishing activity scheme • Priority 1: Fostering Sustainable fisheries & the restoration & conservation of aquatic biological resources • Specific Objective 1.1 – Strengthening economically, socially and environmentally sustainable fishing activities Diversification of fishing activities scheme will target the development of complementary activities, which may include inter alia investments on board, angling tourism, restaurants, environmental services related to fishing and educational activities. Investments may also be aimed that the retrofitting of Small Scale Coastal Fishing vessels for activities complementary to commercial fishing, thus increasing the potential for ancillary employment opportunities on land. Eligible applicants for the scheme are: • Fishers holding MFA Licence • Fishers holding MFB Licence The actual launch of this rolling call, together with details of an information session, the Application Form and other supplementary documentation will be published in July 2025 and can be accessed at https://fondi.eu/ . The first batch for this rolling call is expected to close in September 2025. Prospective applicants are encouraged to refer to https://fondi.eu for the EMFAF Programme for Malta, as well as any updates related to EU funding calls. For more information about the call, kindly contact Servizzi Ewropej f'Malta (SEM) on info.sem@gov.mt or by calling on +356 25552100. NO fines were issued to a restau- rant which contaminated part of Marsaskala's St Thomas Bay de- spite authorities identifying the source. During the last days of May, the Environmental Health Di- rectorate warned the public against swimming in the inner part of St Thomas Bay after foul water was discharged into the sea via a rainwater culvert. A week later, the area was deemed safe again to swim. But when no fines or action were taken by the directorate against the restaurant despite the authorities knowing the source of the contamination. A spokesperson said the di- rectorate confirmed that the issue originated from a mal- function in the sewage system of the restaurant, which result- ed in a leak. "In response, preparations were underway to issue a Pub- lic Health Emergency notice under the Public Health Act, which would have necessitat- ed the closure of the establish- ment. However, the food business operator took immediate cor- rective action, and the overflow was successfully contained. As a result, the emergency notice was not issued," the spokesper- son said. After three inspections showed that there was no fur- ther sewage outflow, the bay was re-opened for the public, they added. No fines were issued either by the Environment and Re- sources Authority (ERA), the agency that serves as a watch- dog for the environment, with MaltaToday being informed that such matters fall within the remit of the Environmental Health Directorate. St Thomas Bay's contamina- tion is not the first instance of unchecked pollution coming from a commercial establish- ment. On the other side of the is- land, St George's Bay in St Ju- lian's was last year shut down for a stretch after the sea got contaminated by sewage ema- nating from a hotel. The hotel's private sewage connection had been acciden- tally discontinued, resulting in drainage seeping into the rocks and entering the locality's stormwater system. Once again, no fines were is- sued despite the authorities identifying the source of the contamination. Similarly, a stone's throw away in Balluta Bay, the beach was consistently flagged for the presence of E.Coli and I.Ente- rococci bacteria, germs nor- mally associated with sewage. Nonetheless, no one was blamed for the persistent con- tamination. The Environmental Health Directorate carries out weekly tests in beaches across Malta and Gozo to certify the safe- ty and cleanliness of popular swimming zones. The Bathing Water Portal lists 87 monitoring points, in- cluding 16 pet friendly beach- es, providing weekly updates on the state of seawater qual- ity. Polluters pay nothing: No fines for restaurant after St Thomas Bay contamination MATTHEW FARRUGIA mfarrugia@mediatoday.com.mt The Environmental Health Directorate warned the public against swimming in the inner part of St Thomas Bay after foul water was discharged into the sea via a rainwater culvert