The Marsaskala Residents Network (MRN) on Thursday expressed serious concern over the decision by the Environment and Resources Authority not to object to works linked to the proposed fast ferry service in Marsaskala Bay, including dredging operations, and its recommendation that a full Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is not required.

In a reaction issued on April 2, the group said that after analysing the documentation presented by the authority it identified several inconsistencies, shortcomings in the evaluation, and unanswered questions about the potential long-term impacts on seawater quality and the bay's ecology.

The MRN pointed to what it described as a clear inconsistency in the authority's assessment. While the hydromorphology of the bay was assessed specifically within the bay itself, the impacts on water quality were evaluated over a much larger marine area extending from Kalkara to Wied il-Għajn and covering around 19.2 square kilometres.

According to the residents' group, this raises the question of why the long-term impacts on water quality within the bay were not assessed separately. The MRN noted that the authority itself acknowledged that dredging works would generate turbidity through the disturbance of fine seabed particles.

Although such impacts may be contained during the works, the group said it is well known that once dredging is completed these particles can be resuspended and dispersed throughout the bay, particularly during rough weather. This could potentially lead to a deterioration in water quality and affect the marine environment.

The MRN also criticised what it described as an incomplete description of how the bay is used. While the authority referred to the area as a coastal zone with residential, commercial and maritime uses such as fishing and boating, the residents' group said the assessment failed to adequately acknowledge key recreational activities that regularly take place there, including swimming, water polo and diving.

The omission, the group said, results in an incomplete understanding of the bay's role within the community and the potential social impacts of the works.

The residents' group also took issue with a reference in the assessment to a policy designating the area for a yacht marina. According to the MRN, this policy had been withdrawn by the Executive Council of the Planning Authority in December 2024. The group said relying on a policy that is no longer in force raises concerns about the validity of the authority's conclusions.

Environmental concerns were also raised about the expected loss of marine habitats. Documentation indicates that the works will result in the permanent destruction of about 1,496 square metres of Posidonia oceanica, a seagrass species protected under EU and Maltese environmental legislation.

Other ecologically important species identified in the bay include Cymodocea nodosa and the protected gastropod Tonna galea. Although these species are located outside the immediate dredging area, the MRN said they could still be indirectly affected if turbidity or contamination leads to deteriorating water quality.

The authority also confirmed the presence of contaminated material at a depth of around minus 2.3 metres. Since dredging is planned down to minus 2.5 metres, the group warned that part of this material will inevitably be disturbed. While the extracted material is expected to be disposed of at a landfill, fine contaminated particles may remain suspended and spread across the seabed and surrounding waters.

The MRN also highlighted the presence of so-called "dead matte", the root and rhizome structures of Posidonia. Although previously considered a sign of degradation, recent research indicates that it is an important habitat that supports biodiversity and functions as a carbon sink.

In light of these concerns, the MRN said it will ask the Planning Authority to require a detailed Environmental Impact Assessment that examines both the immediate and long-term impacts of the works, with particular attention given to seawater quality and the ecology of the bay. The group also called for studies on the social and public health implications, given the bay's extensive use for swimming and recreational activities.

The residents' network said the environmental safeguarding role of the Environment and Resources Authority did not appear to have been fully reflected in its decision, and urged the authority to strengthen its approach with more comprehensive assessments that prioritise the protection of ecosystems and protected species.