Agriculture and Fisheries parliamentary secretary Francis Agius criticised the European Union yesterday for postponing the introduction of a regulation laying down the minimum weight of tuna that can be caught.

The tuna fishing season of 13-30 June was to have this regulation, as laid down by the Atlantic tuna authority, ICCAT. Dr Agius told the council of agriculture ministers in Luxembourg yesterday, that Malta believed the minimum weight rule was one of the main points of the plan aimed at helping tuna stocks recover, by making it illegal to catch immature fish.

Postponing the introduction of the rule meant that it would not be applied this year. This, said Dr Agius, was against what had been agreed with the ICCAT and greatly devalued the credibility of the European Union where fisheries sustainability was concerned.

The EU’s fisheries commissioner is Dr Joe Borg, Malta’s former foreign minister.

Dr Agius expressed serious doubts about whether the postponement of the rule conformed with international law and whether this was acceptable to the other parties in ICCAT.

He said that Malta also had doubts as to whether fish caught by the EU fleet after 13 June would be commercial, as it would be in violation of the ICCAT recommendation.

Making these points, Dr Agius still voted for the tuna recovery plan, under which Malta has been assigned a catch of 355.59 tons – a quantity considered favourable to Malta.