The Environment & Resources Authority (ERA) together with No To Plastic Malta, Emergency Response & Rescue Corps (ERRC) and Raniero’s Adventures organised an underwater cleanup dive at Qammieħ Reef, during which at least four deep water fishing nets were recovered.

These nets were found lying at depths ranging from 30 to 55 metres deep. The nets were collected by Wasteserv, who will clean them together with #ŻIBEL, so that the nets can be potentially recycled overseas. Qammieħ Reef, situated between Ċirkewwa and the Red Tower, provides a popular fishing spot. Unfortunately, many Ghost fishing nets get entangled on the reef and are subsequently discarded.

These nets can indiscriminately kill large quantities of marine life, besides also being a source of marine pollution. The amount of litter present in Malta’s marine waters is of growing concern for the Environment and Resources Authority.

Perit Michelle Piccinino said that the Authority looks forward to supporting such clean-up initiatives, as these compliment policies that ERA develops in this regard. Such initiatives contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the Programme of Measures reported by Malta as part of the requirements of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive.

This programme seeks the achievement of Good Environmental Status in relation to litter in the marine environment through, amongst others, the removal of accumulated litter.

The importance of clean-ups has also been recognised by UNEP/MAP’s Regional Plan for the Marine Litter Management in the Mediterranean, which calls on Contracting Parties, including Malta, to remove existing accumulated litter in a regular manner, particularly, litter impacting endangered species.