Our country has a proud history of influencing global and regional political developments. From the 1989 Malta summit, which signalled the end of the Cold War; the Commonwealth Heads of Government meetings, held in both 2005 and 2015; the Maltese EU presidency in 2017; to, most recently, Malta’s election as a non-permanent member of the UN Secretary Council. These events, while important, are merely a microcosm of the influence that our tiny island that we call home possesses on the global scale.
Recently, another example of Malta’s role in global policymaking was taking place in the MCAST campus in Paola. Around 250 participants, from all around the world, participated in the Fourth World Small-Scale Fisheries Congress, which was organised in our country for the very first time.
Representatives from neighbouring countries such as France, Italy, Portugal and Spain, as well as those from states further away, like Canada, Nigeria, the US and Australia, all contributed to a discussion on a topic so pertinent, more so for Maltese fishermen.
The year 2022 has been declared by the United Nations as the International Year for Artisanal Fisheries and Aquaculture. In light of current events, discussing such issues goes beyond mere apt and trite politicking: the livelihoods of entire countries, including our very own, has faced considerably turmoil during these past few years due to a convergence of multiple factors.
COVID-19 and the onset of regional conflicts, such as the war in Ukraine, has wreaked havoc on global food supply chains; the impact of climate change, an ever-worsening phenomenon, has strained food production to near-desperate levels; lastly, the convergence of certain industries into mega-corporations has indubitably made an already difficult status quo for small-scale fisheries even further untenable.
It is not coincidental that the theme chosen for this event was ‘Imagine the (Un)imaginable’. Due to a number of factors, one can argue that fishermen and stakeholders all around the world have had no other recourse than to come up with innovative, out-of-the-box solutions.
To preserve our future, we must innovate and engage multilaterally- Alicia Bugeja Said
The balancing act that all stakeholders have to face on a daily basis, between environmental and financial sustainability, can have adverse effects on all aspects of our daily life, unless the right legal and political impetus takes shape and is rigorously applied.
Faced with a multitude of questions, it was up to this congress to take steps in reaching decisive conclusions. I note the focus on ‘Blue Growth and Blue Economy’ initiatives that underpinned the work done during these past few days. These initiatives aim to preserve the livelihood and well-being of our fishing industries while ensuring that global access to fishing routes is not thwarted in a way that disadvantage those mostly in need.
Other topics of discussion involved the role of gender equity in small-scale fishing, the role of Sustainable Development Goals and ensuring more transparent global and regional governance. I note with pride how an emphasis on direct infrastructural and financial interventions also formed part of the discussions that took place during this congress.
Our government has indeed been on the forefront here again, with projects such as the installation of new water and electricity pillars for the fishing sector, the new aquaculture laboratory in San Luċjan and the scheme launched at mitigating the exponential rise in fuel for our fishing vessels proving their value in both the local and global context.
After all that’s said and done, however, the real work begins now. This government has publicly committed itself to enacting the proposals discussed during this congress and translating the relevant documents into tangible legal and policy change. While we have taken stock of the numerous decisions and projects that we have finalised over the past few months and years, we cannot rest on our laurels.
The present context pushes us to act diligently and quickly. To preserve our future, we must also innovate and engage multilaterally. Time will judge whether we’ve succeeded on all counts.
Alicia Bugeja Said is Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Animal Rights.