1 January 2007
Malta Marsascala shop owners have once again claimed that they were right to say that the aquaculture project taking place off Marsascala Bay was not feasible for the designated area, despite various analyses by numerous experts.
In a statement issued yesterday, the Marsascala Shop Owners Association said the visual impact as a result of the project was apparent: the ships off the coast that are being used for the development of fish farms are visible from land and are an obvious eyesore.
The association said it is shameful that a tourist area like Marsascala should be treated in this manner.
It went on to mention two incidents that took place when ships crashed into the cages of tuna at the farm and said that this confirms that other projects should have been considered when the impact assessment was carried out. Similar incidents may be dangerous and may cause various kinds of environmental damage.
Moreover, the tuna that were washed ashore also shows a failure of the studies carried out before the project began, the statement said, adding that there had been reports of big fish sightings, although these had been considered a remote possibility.
The association asked who would be held responsible in the event of an incident occurring as a result of the potential danger that comes with the aquaculture project. It said it believes that the bad experiences so far, when the project is still in its early stages, shows that it should be stopped completely.
If a solution is not found, they could not but ask what are the real reasons behind the project, and the choice of location.
