Diver’s opinion: Getting hooked in a marine park – not by the diving experience… but by hooks!

Occasionally we receive contacts in our mailbox which leave a lot of room for thinking.. this is one of them received very recently and whose message should not be ignored.

Your contact was suggested to me to submit my case.

Should you not be the appropriate address, I would appreciate if you were to either convey my message further or that you forward the concerned contact to address this issue.

I’m a diving instructor, with a passion for diving and the environment. I was made aware that the diving spot in Cirkewwa has been officially declared as an area designated for divers.

Can anybody please explain how come anglers are allowed to fish in that area, precisely directly on the edge where below the ‘Madonna’ statue and the sugar loaf are? This is the path that divers take swimming in or out. Witnessed a diver from another group getting his bcd hooked up.

Furthermore, small boats with trailing fishing lines passed very close to shore, half the distance to the P29 wreck. Luckily the metal lure missed us by a meter or so.

Then on the 31st Dec we planned an entry and exit from the concrete platform next to the lantern. It was clear on the way out, only to find fishing lines in the water during our safety stop.

To add further insult to injury, the anglers were sitting on their stools on the narrow passage coming up the ladder. Is this the way Malta is promoting its waters for diving tourism? It’s a safety issue and one may also include the underwater environment.

The few remaining fish being caught directly where divers should be lured in. All the above occurred last week (divinginfo.mt note: last week of 2023), the same scenario every day. We were told that it’s something regular. But seriously, how can the authorities go blind on this?

By all means you may use my testimony as you deem appropriate.  Feel free to mention my details (note by divinginfo.mt – details are in hand but we’ll safeguard this individual’s privacy, so we are only publishing his initials) should that help for increased leverage.  I’m actually Maltese but have been away for almost two decades, and I learn from the facts you’ve stated, that this country is on the decline when it comes to decision making in response to the environment (e.g. not a single marine reserved area).

I represent two dive clubs in Germany and subsequent to these last negative experiences, I shall not promote Malta or accompany any groups, but will rather focus more on Gozo.  Same nation, but so far the conditions are more favourable. 

For the past nine years I have been spending the summer months  in the Azores and even representing some of their dive centres in dive shows,  such as the one in Dusseldorf, Germany.  An archipelago of 9 islands, stretching over 600km between the westerly and easterly islands. Almost every island has designated no fishing zones around its coast.  Even off shore reefs are protected.  Therefore Malta must be special!

Mr. J.M.

Any further comment is superfluous.

Please share this opinion with any authority that might want to listen… and act!

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