The government is to hand out €800,000 in aid to fishermen who suffered financially as a result of COVID-19.   

Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Anton Refalo said that the fisheries industry suffered when restaurants were closed at the height of the pandemic.  

“While both the agriculture and fishing sectors worked hard to keep fresh and nutritious food on our tables, the government acknowledges the challenges faced by fishermen during this time,” Refalo said.

The minister said some 600 fishermen are eligible for the scheme. The aid is capped at €5,000 and is available to fishermen, full-time or part-time, who had boats registered in 2020.

“We want to implement a just system that properly compensates fishermen while encouraging more resilient and sustainable growth in the sector," he said. 

More details are available from the Fisheries office on 22926859 by sending an email to infofisheries.mafa@​gov.mt​

Applications are open until November 26.