The Government has invested and will continue to invest in fishermen — the Hardstanding Facility concession includes clear safeguards for the fishing community
The Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Supply notes the statement of the Marsaxlokk Local Council and maintains that the Council’s concerns regarding the priority of fishermen and the maintenance of tariffs are in fact directly addressed in the document.
Prior to the publication of the RFP for the Hardstanding Facility in Marsaxlokk, the Ministry also carried out consultations with organisations representing fishermen and industry representatives, with the aim of ensuring that the needs and realities of the sector are considered and reflected in the tender conditions.
The concession in no way means that the future operator will be able to run the facility without conditions or limits. On the contrary, the tender obliges it to ensure continuous service to MFA and MFB vessels throughout the concession, including during the development phase, while guaranteeing that fishermen are given priority in the facility’s services.
Furthermore, the tender expressly states that the current fees for MFA and MFB fishermen should remain fixed, with a review every three years in consultation with the Contracting Authority to reflect inflation.
At the same time, the Government wants to breathe new life into this facility through substantial private investment and management that maximises its potential. The tender calls for at least €3 million investment in the development phase, together with reinvestment and equipment upgrades during the concession.
Therefore, this is not a process to remove any right or service to fishermen. It is a process to improve, modernize and better use the facility, without the Maltese fisherman losing the protection he has.
The Government has always been and remains on the side of fishermen. When the sector needed support, the Government intervened with specific aid and schemes, as was also done recently through the fuel-related aid scheme, apart from other initiatives that are published from time to time for the sector.
The Ministry remains committed to a strong fishing sector, modern infrastructure and investment that makes economic sense, but never at the expense of the livelihood of fishermen.
