Approximately 165 fishermen have benefited from a €270,000 support scheme launched by the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture to mitigate the impact of rising bait prices.

The announcement was made by Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Animal Rights Alicia Bugeja Said, who described the scheme as a form of direct support introduced at a challenging time for the fishing sector. She explained that the primary aim of the scheme is to ease the financial pressure caused by increased bait costs, an essential component of fishing activity.

"Through this scheme, we are ensuring that our fishermen receive the necessary support to continue operating in a sector that is so important for our country," Bugeja Said stated.

She added that the government will continue working closely with fishermen to assess ongoing challenges and to design further schemes or measures where necessary, with the objective of keeping the sector strong and viable in the years ahead.

Acting Director General for Fisheries and Aquaculture Bjorn Azzopardi explained that earlier this year fishermen raised concerns about the continually rising cost of bait. In response, the Department conducted a scientific study to assess whether these price increases had influenced the swordfish and tuna markets over the past two years, leading to the design of the current scheme.

The scheme applies to both full-time (MFA) and part-time (MFB) fishermen who are licensed to fish for tuna, swordfish and albacore, compensating them for the increased cost of bait over recent years.