Fisheries authority does not validate ship ownership

I refer to the editorial note which you carried with our letter on your newspaper of the 1 October 2008.
May I point out the following in response to points raised in your note:
1) It is not possible and not within the competence of the Maltese Fisheries Authorities to validate the ownerships of vessels in foreign shipping registers. Vessels that should not be allowed to work within the bluefin tuna fishery are usually listed in the ICCAT IUU vessel list. All other vessels are ‘white’ vessels and we accept the documents of the registration of the vessel that the captain presents as there are internationally recognised as formal documents.
2) The Maltese Fisheries Authorities have no facility and possibility to access foreign trade company data banks. Furthermore within ICCAT there are no limitations of trade of bluefin tuna and its products. Within ICCAT trade sanctions are normally notified to all Contracting Parties.
3) With regards to the transhipment involving the Tuna Pro, the correct dates are those included in the letter sent by the undersigned and published on 1 October 2008. In the previous letter, there was a typing error and dates should read 2007. In fact, all the clarifications requested and submitted to MaltaToday covered the year 2007 and the first part of the year 2008 only.

Anthony Gruppetta
Fisheries Department
Ministry for Resources and Rural Affairs

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