Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1544465
4 gozotoday | FRIDAY • 17 APRIL 2026 NEWS Fishers and aquaculture sectors to benefit from EU funding after energy shocks EUROPEAN funding to support fishers and aquaculture opera- tors affected by rising fuel prices are now available. The announcement comes after Labour MEP Thomas Ba- jada raised concerns at the Eu- ropean level about the impact of surging fuel costs on Malta's small-scale fishing sector. During discussions at the Eu- ropean Parliament Committee on Fisheries, Bajada spoke of the struggles faced by small- scale fishers, noting that the price of their fuel supply had doubled within a matter of weeks. Bajada noted that the rise in fuel and even bait prices mean that consumers are already feeling their impact. He called for targeted emer- gency assistance to address the situation, as the commission had done elsewhere such as the aviation and energy sectors, warning that continued price increases could severely affect the viability of the sector. The European Commission confirmed during the commit- tee meeting that emergency support measures would be in- troduced, aimed specifically at mitigating the impact of higher operating costs on fishers and aquaculture operators. Maltese MEP Thomas Bajada spoke about the impact of surging fuel costs on Malta's small-scale fishing sector during a European Parliament Committee on Fisheries The European Commission confirmed during the committee meeting that emergency support measures would be introduced on Thursday Pre-booking feature soon available for Gozo Fast Ferry service Minister for Gozo Clint Camilleri annouces f lexible pre-booking feature for the Gozo Fast Ferry service will start in the next few days MINISTER for Gozo Clint Camilleri has announced the Gozo Fast Ferry service will now introduce a pre-booking feature which will come into action in the next few days. Camilleri explained tickets for the fast ferry can be booked up to a half-hour in advance, and can be amended to a later trip to allow flexibility for those using the ser- vice. This follows a speech during the Labour Congress given by Gozitan teen Sarah Schembri, where she put forward a series of proposals aiming to improve connectivity between Malta and Gozo. She proposed a priority boarding document to be given to Gozitan citizens, who are often unable to board because of the high demand from both locals and tourists. Additionally, she suggested that fast ferry trips should be increased to once every half-hour. Current- ly, trips to Gozo on the fast ferry board every hour. "After a day of school, I shouldn't have to wait behind a crowd of tourists," she said. Tourism Minister Ian Borg voiced his support for introduc- ing a priority boarding system for Gozitans using the fast ferry ser- vice. The Gozo Fast Ferry service will now introduce a pre-booking feature which will come into action in the next few days