Thanks to the support of many local divers and diving professionals, the nice number of 236 signatures were collected over a period of approximately two weeks. 162 also didn’t bother remaining anonymous which shows how much the diving community does indeed want to stand up to be counted!
As we promised, we are going to send our article, petition and signatures + comments (with some highlighting) using various media (to ensure in someway it arrives) to the Office of the Prime Minister – not because we are some fans of him, but because he needs to get his ministers to talk and work – and to Ombudsman to chase for answers to some pointed questions that we will be making to address certain blockers that are apparent at the moment.
The signatories call for a change in attitude towards the Cirkewwa Marine Park from being simply a marketing stunt to become a really valued and well-managed Marine Park. Despite four years and over EUR600,000 spent since the official announcement, not even formally does the Marine Park exist.
In fact improvements in Marine Life in the area could well be credited to the watchful eye of the NGO Malta Ranger Unit who have kept a good eye on the area and aided for the little marine protection it had to be enforced.
On the other hand… Is this what happens in other countries? Such a gem as the Ponta tal-Marfa (its proper Maltese name) diving site is undervalued.
Thanks to the signatories we will be calling for central authorities to wake up and move on.
Establish the park in legislation, provide the few resources (comparatively) that are required and be honest to our visiting foreign buddies who expect a Marine Park to be treated much better.
The petition has not been closed, and in fact trickles of signatures still come in almost on a daily basis. We intend to leave it open until we see some meaningful change.
However, in the meantime, we have loved seeing many signatories’ comments in which they expressed their love, care and sometimes anguish at the state of the park’s infrastructure. We’ve selected a few which will be pointed out for our dear authorities!
| Respondent Type | Comment |
|---|---|
| Resident Scuba Diver | We should be ashamed as a country to be so mindless and waste such precious space for nothing or to give free parking to trucks in a harbour zone – possibly even illegally! Come on and let us Maltese divers be proud to show a well organised and kept site to our friends from abroad who we entice to visit these shores and contribute to the local economy! |
| Visiting Scuba Diver (i.e. tourists) | Visit every year (40 years) really needs a good freshen up. Getting so busy |
| Resident Scuba Diver | This is the most heavily visited diving locations in Malta. The lack of attention from the authorities for this important site demonstrates to not only the thousands upon thousands of tourists that come to visit and spend money on the island, but also to the large resident diving community how little the safety and comfort means to them. It is shameful. |
| Diving Industry Professional | “This is the dive site to show off Malta as a “”Best diving destination””. Having a bit of a focus to other sites around the country would be very much appreciated! Totally agree on the maintenance of the very well established dive site BUT this is not the only one! All dive centers of the country are for example visiting the wrecks at Xatt L’Ahmar in Gozo and there is not one(!) toilet in sight since 3 years! What a shame, people being forced to pee and poop around the parking! A pure disgrace, it stinks and is unhygienic! We don’t even talk about better parking or road access, or maintaining the kitting up benches. The Blue Hole area does not even have such benches, no dedicated parking for divers, poor and difficult access to the site and 2 toilets to cater for all the divers AND thousands of daytourists in the area… Once such a divesite is properly set up, it should not be left without maintenance. But we have others which are in poor condition… Who takes charge, as we keep advertising the country as “”World best diving destination””?” |
| Resident Scuba Diver | “Strongly support the need in a proper solution for the first aid, particularly since the accidents in Cirkewwa are not a rare case. Also agree with the comment below regarding the exit at susie’s pool – for short people it is close to a torture and even more for tech divers, other exits by somewhat a bit higher waves are not an option at all. Fishing boats must be dealt with, the level of activity is too high for a marine park.” |
| Resident Scuba Diver | Significant progress has been made at the Ċirkewwa Dive Site since my first dives there over four decades ago. Nevertheless, there remains considerable potential for further development to establish it as the marine park that Malta rightfully deserves. I express my full support for the proposed actions and improvements. |
| Visiting Scuba Diver (i.e. tourists) | Please help us divers, we invest a lot of tourist money in your country so please can we have a little back to hep keep us coming to your country. |
| Other (describe in comment field) | Mother of a scuba diver, and very worried too. |
| Resident Scuba Diver | Malta is known as the place diving place in Europe. So please do those required actions so the diving reputation and the Marine area safety is secured. |
| Visiting Scuba Diver (i.e. tourists) | “I’ve visited Malta almost every year since 2014… I love the island, and I love diving Ċirkewwa… I’ve noticed some great improvements over the years the toilet block & benches being two of them. I appreciate the works & investment that has gone into the area.. Last September though I noticed it’s getting run down, I believe that including Diving professionals in the management council would assist greatly in ensuring we divers continue to visit and enjoy Malta for many years to some… I love Mdina & Valletta on my no-dive days – you truly do have a wonderful island…. Thank you” |
| Diving Industry Professional | I’ve been working here as a dive professional for several years and have seen an increase in fish diversity, species and numbers. I believe this positive change has been a direct result of the recent work and protections in place. For this dive site to have a future and be recognised as a world class diving destinations we need to continue to enforce the current level of protection re fishing and boat traffic and ensure their is a long term sustainable protection plan being actively implemented with consistent improvements to the facilities. I strongly support this action. |
| Visiting Scuba Diver (i.e. tourists) | I visit Malta 2 or 3 times a year, I have dived at Cirkewwa many times. It is such a shame to see that improvements have not already put in placed. In the height of the season with lots of divers and vehicles it can become a dangerous place. Action is needed to accommodate the popularity of the site and support the revenue stream that this brings to the country. |
| Other (describe in comment field) | I sincerely believe that such an essential amenity should have been put into place years ago especially as we are promoting Malta and Goxo as the ideal place to go to for your diving holiday |
| Visiting Scuba Diver (i.e. tourists) | “I have visited the island with my wife at least once annually for the last 20 years. This has primarily been to dive the wonderful array of dive sites that you have to offer and also to visit friends. The cost of our accommodation, food, diving, transportation etc over these 20 years easily exceeds €80,000, so €80,000 into the local economy that is driven by diving. The improvement of Cirkewwa marine park and the other dive sites around Malta would serve to enhance the experience of diving on the island and continue to draw divers back year on year. Cirkewwa marine park seriously needs investment in its infrastructure, the number of available parking spaces needs to be increased, the road surface and facilities require repair and regular maintenance and the expansion of the area would greatly facilitate in achieving some of this. Access and egress to the water could be improved/expanded as could the toilet and shower facilties.” |
| Other (describe in comment field) | Ex-Science Officer of [edited for privacy] – wholeheartedly agree with all of the actions requested. Having visited other mediterranean or adjacent marine parks in the past few years in Garajau in Madeira (which has the option a cable car to get you down to a dive centre!) and Alonnisos in Greece, the difference in management and priorities is stark to Cirkewwa, which frankly deserves so much better! It feels like 600k has been spunked up the wall rather than invested in what should and could be the shining example of a marine park in the Maltese islands. There is so much potential here that is threatened to be wasted. |
| Resident Scuba Diver | Cirkewwa is a must for all tourist divers, we should be ashamed of ourselves leaving it in this state. Immediate action on land and in the sea is much needed. |
| Resident Scuba Diver | Been coming here for years and now live in Malta. It’s about time that Cirkewwa and many other dive sites are recognised as such and equipped properly, as scuba diving is one of the main tourist attractions in Malta. Respect it as many volunteers already do! |
| Resident Scuba Diver | “As a marine park, fishing should be completely prohibited and enforcement actually carried out. Recently a boat was stationed in the park fishing for 3 hours with no response from TM despite several appeals and video evidence. Also, easier access to Susie’s pool would help greatly as currently the easier exit is covered with moss and the cleaner side has a very steep step. This is causing a lot of preventable falls and in rough conditions can exacerbate the problems of divers trying to safely exit the water.” |
| Visiting Scuba Diver (i.e. tourists) | Agree with all, and especially the bathroom access! As a female visiting at start of season (drysuit diving) it is a lot harder to find relief when the toilets are closed when we exit the water after the 2nd dive, regularly saw males finding a corner wall spot with urine running down stairs/ramps into the sea, which is not so clean for the next visitors of course but no option once the facilities are closed, but also nice and easy for them to be able to do so. |
| Diving Industry Professional | After 15 years diving at this place it should be organized and not a problem to take action to make the Marine Park as a safe dive site, with a First Aid Room that the advanced equipment are organized. |
What happens now?
Now it’s a waiting game. We’ll inform signatories of any responses or replies. We don’t expect much, (after we flagged the Wied iz-Zurrieq issue, a meeting was held as advised and so far no further feedback has come by, nor did we see any progress in that application).
Thank you & apologies
As a conclusion to this post, we thank you again for your support in this petition and we apologise for the delay in updating you (life gets in the way sometimes – if you wish to help us on this community project / site, via your time and contributions in terms of content / news / media etc (not financially – read our site policy on this subject) contact us!