3 January, 2025
A new position paper released by BirdLife Malta under the LIFE PanPuffinus! project is calling for smarter fisheries management to tackle the issue of seabird bycatch. The paper was featured in The Malta Independent on Sunday, bringing national attention to this growing environmental challenge.
The paper responds to the EU’s updated Fisheries Control Regulation, which came into effect in 2024. Since 2021, BirdLife Malta has been working alongside local fishers to reduce seabird bycatch—where seabirds like the Yelkouan Shearwater are accidentally caught in fishing gear.
By engaging directly with fishers, the project has gained important insights into how bycatch occurs and what can be done to prevent it. The paper proposes practical ways for Malta to implement the new regulation, including training, financial support, and improved data-sharing.
It also emphasises the need to support Malta’s small-scale fishing sector, which is facing increasing pressure from tighter rules and shrinking fish stocks.
The goal is to ensure that fishers are equipped to adapt, while marine wildlife and ecosystems are protected. This paper is another example of BirdLife Malta’s commitment to evidence-based policy and collaborative conservation.
Read the full article in The Malta Independent on Sunday: BirdLife Malta urges better fisheries management with new EU regulation on fisheries control – The Malta Independent
