Picturesque Marsalforn and Xlendi have become the latest stage for a recent and sudden surge in illegal moorings set up in the bays by food establishments and watersport operators taking bookings and profiting unlawfully.
Times of Malta has confirmed that restaurants are claiming ownership of several of the buoys and are offering them to patrons, arriving on boats, on reservation of a table.
One source explained how non-booking boats are driven away from the bay and told that they cannot occupy that stretch of water as if it belongs to the restaurant.
“They are acting as if the bay is a private car park that belongs to the restaurant but these are public waters and they cannot fill it up with moorings as it pleases them.”
Another individual described how, last Saturday, four families on as many boats were harassed away from Marsalforn Bay.
“A man approached us in a tender and told us in a menacing tone to “aqilgħu għax hawn tagħna” (“move because this area is reserved for us”).
Reluctantly they had to sail away.
“We didn’t want any trouble, especially since we were with families and children. We lifted our anchors and returned to Malta.”
Sources said a similar situation has developed in Xlendi.
No matter how much or who you call, no one takes action.
Over the past 10 days, Times of Malta has received e-mails, Whatsapp messages and telephone calls from helpless private boaters who have been pushed away from Għadira Bay by unidentified men on boats claiming to own the moorings.
A similar situation has been unfolding in Comino’s Santa Marija Bay where large boats are taking over all the space, leaving no room for families on smaller boats.
Another source pointed out how both bays have become littered with jerrycans tied to stones as weight.
“Late at night, we have seen divers dropping large stones in the water out in the middle of the bay.
“They are taking up as much space as they can to discourage private boaters from entering the bay without reservation and without making use of their facilities. But this is all illegal,” he said.
Private boaters have also been complaining about a lack of action from the authorities.
“We have called Transport Malta. They took down our report but nobody came back. Then, we turned to the police who told us they cannot do anything.
“No matter how much or who you call, no one takes action.”
Transport Malta has confirmed with Times of Malta that private operators cannot rent moorings in public bays.
Transport Malta said that such illegal activities are monitored and passed on to the Maritime Enforcement Unit and the police for enforcement action as necessary.