On behalf of several residents within the areas of Ta’ Xbiex Coast Road, Ta’ Xbiex Terrace and other surrounding streets, including many others, such as those living in the Housing Estate and others that are surrounding our locality, we are presenting this petition to save the sea environment of our area, which is being turned into a temporary yacht marina from opposite the Holland/Irish High Commissioners’ residence, to near the water-polo club.
First and foremost we are opposing this development at this area for the following important reasons:
A) The area near the water-polo club is reserved for water-polo playing and training and part of this for the general public.
B) The rock formation will be covered with concrete for the newly proposed quay alignment with platoons and platform usages. Rocks formation and the sandy area are both covered by the Malta Structure Plan.
C) It could change the sea current patterns, causing erosion of littoral and sub-littoral sediment of area, since the area is very shallow and its sand slops that are being formed are in danger.
D) With 100 yachts when they go out with their invited guests, the approximate amount of vehicles that would be parked at the Terrace exceeds 500. We are already facing several parking problems opposite our residence during Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays with the four restaurants and those going by the sea-side during summer time.
Furthermore, being a temporary yacht marina, first and foremost would endangers all sort of water-life forms of this area, just because:
1) It eliminates all marine life form or biota and the destruction of all ecological marine communities that live and breed in this particular area due to pollution of boats coming in and out.
2) All sea life formation will be endangered due to diesel, petrol, paints etc., coming out from crafts during mooring stages and manoeuvring out of pontoons.
3) The coastline contains various cemented and intertwined loosely coiled shells of gastropods (snails) and worms, which are embedded in these coralline algae; now they would be endangered and all existence of marine life will be endangered.
4) The mainland part is important for natural breeding. Otherwise one can affect individual fish breeding directly by disturbing normal activities such as nesting, spawning or feeding; or from increasing our fish stocks, these includes lacci; argu, mullet; accola; awrata; cawla; cerna; dott abjad/jew tal-faxxi; hazir tal fond, makku, vopi etc.
5) It has historical cannons on the shoreline with a naval history and where old fishermen used to hang their nets, where our area took its name from the area being called “tax-xbiek”.
6) The area has a lot of vegetation and other life form such as the natural breeding/spawning of small shrimps, works, squids, octopus, and others.
7) The area is very close to the residential area (25m), subject to the worst three winds coming from north-east (Manoel Island point of Lazzaretto creek; the north wind coming from in-front of Manoel Isalnd Marina; and then from North West, that is from the bridge of Manoel Island). This makes yachts impossible to be steady or protected, thus making a banging noise through their mast ropes/wires when the wind is heavy, producing horrible noises that won’t let residents sleep at night.
8) We also request MEPA to hold a legal process with terms of references regarding the breeding of fish and other marine life in the area, through an independent environmental impact assessment, before any permit is issued or refused.
Motor boat (yachts) engines are designed to deliver large amount of power in small package, with the result of containing a certain amount of fuel to be discharged un-burnt and which ends up into the sea water. This is not the fault of owners, as it’s a normal thing. In fact a two-stroke engine (imagine larger ones) are estimated to pass 25 to 30% of fuel into the water; a reasonable average, but this depends upon factors such as engine speed, turning, oil mixer and their horsepower.
Therefore, one has to find either an alternative site or else drop this proposal due to the fact that this particular area has importance for marine life. On behalf of various local residents (voters) and all those that are against the destruction of our marine life environment, we would like to see the enforcement of the conservation of the nature of this area.
Our petition can be signed by all those who support the protection of our environment and the conservation of our area either directly from me or form other helpers from the Housing area or the Terrace, or otherwise one can go on the internet site at: http://taxbiex.epetitions.net.
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