The Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Animal Rights Alicia Bugeja Said visited the port of Gnejna, where a light and water pillar has just been installed by the Department of Fisheries and the -Aquaculture, which will serve as an important facility for the fishermen of this area.
The port of Gnejna welcomes 39 professional fishermen as well as 138 fishermen on a recreational basis. While a number of the species of fish that are caught from this port land directly in Pixkerija, another amount of this fish is sold directly by the fishermen. These pillars are part of the investment of half a million euros, which was launched by the Government earlier this year, with the aim of facilitating the lives of all Maltese fishermen and in order to provide more accessibility.
The fishermen present during the visit explained how, until today, every time they needed to carry out small repairs on their boats, they had to invest in alternatives such as generators. At the same time, when they washed the fish, they had to carry tanks with water. Accordingly, these new facilities are equipped to eliminate this extra financial burden, and are available to fishermen immediately for daily use.
Parliamentary Secretary Bugeja Said reminded how this project is spread in various ports and areas around Malta, as the work inside ports such as Marsaxlokk, San Pawl il-Baħar, l’Għadira and l’Mellieħa have been completed, or will be found in their final phase. “Thanks to this investment by the Government, today the fishermen have access to electricity and water in several ports, close to where they keep their boats, which will help them in the various tasks they have related to maintenance and use of the boat,” emphasized Dr. Bugeja Said.
She stated that this type of investment is also important, because the fishermen will be able to keep their freezers lit with light, instead of using fuel. The Parliamentary Secretary also reminded how the pillars can be used primarily by fishermen registered with the Department, through an electronic chip that is provided by the Department itself. “Investments like these pillars, the winch rooms, and the financial schemes we are launching, are confirmation of how much the Government listens and understands the needs and aspirations of our fishermen, and how much it is ready to walk side by side with each and every one of them,” concluded the Parliamentary Secretary Bugeja Said.
Photo: MAFA_PS
