The Malicious Monster
Not much noise was made about the monstrous tuna net which was carried into the Pembroke Rocky beach, known as ‘il-Blata’ by the locals on Sunday the 11th of March 2012. The weekend between the 9-11th March 2012 saw the Maltese Islands battered by north easterly gale force winds and severe storms. Several warnings were issued to citizens on all media forms. None of the warnings however, prepared locals living in Pembroke (a small sea-side town) to find a shipwrecked fish farm net (probably a tuna fattening cage), on Sunday!
Shipwrecked tuna fattening cage
This small rocky bay has become quite popular with the Pembroke locals lately, especially in summer, when many people enjoy swimming in this relaxing bay. Some people also enjoy visiting this rocky beach around this time of the year, in spring, even if it’s just to take in the fresh air and relax quietly for a short while- although a huge blue monster leaves no space for the individual to sit on the rocks and relax, as it has made this small bay its own!
The few people who heard about this incident may have ignored it, others who passed by the area, found it amusing and took a couple of pictures of their own to share with their family and friends maybe. But how long is this monstrous net going to remain in this small bay? Where did the tuna net come from in the first place? Who does this net belong to? Will anyone claim it? Who is responsible for its removal? Who is going to clean the mess made by the broken bits and pieces of this net, which are scattered all across the bay? - These are all questions being asked by concerned locals.
Rocks stained with blue markings caused by the cage’s blue pipes
Sources say that from the way the storm was, the tuna net might have come from the Wied-il Ghajn area- but nothing is definite. So I asked Councillors Evelyn Vella Brincat and Major Joe Zammit some questions about this incident.
The Pembroke Local council members said that the owner is unknown for now, although there are two companies which are registered that own these kinds of cages. If the owner claims it, he will be responsible for its removal and to clean the bay which is littered with broken cage debris (polystyrene, blue plastic floating pipes etc).
Pieces of polystyrene floats strewn all over the bay!
Broken pieces of the tuna net
If nobody claims it, the police will be brought in to investigate the possibility of it originating from a local fish farm. They will do this by checking how many tuna nets are registered by each company and check to see if there are any missing nets, hence the owner will be found. If the company is discovered, it will be responsible for its removal. Otherwise, the government would have to bear the costs of the cleanup- which would be carried out by the local council.
The Blue Monster
Dead barnacles still attached to the cage
This beautiful rocky beach is not only appreciated by locals, but it is also recognized by the government as an important site, as it was designated as a special area of conservation and an area of ecological Importance under the Development Planning Act, via Government Notice 583 of 1996.
The bay also forms part of the Natura 2000 site: (http://www.mepa.org.mt/impnatareas-pas-int-n2k )
Questions sent by email on Wednesday 21 March to the Minster for the Environment and the Minister for Resources and Rural Affairs' remained unanswered till this morning.
Today (26th March 2012) I was informed by a secretary of the Minister for Resources and Rural Affairs that the tuna net has now been cleared away. Although it has been restored to its original state, this event
leaves us locals apprehensive as to what the next storm might churn up,
and the type of action taken by the authorities concerned.