(Adds government's reaction)

Tuna fishermen whose quota was under 200 kilogrammes have been asked by the government to declare in writing, by tomorrow, if they were going to buy or transfer their quota, the Labour Party's spokesman for Rural Affairs said.

Joe Sammut said in a statement that the fishermen were told that unless they did so, they would lose the license to fish for tuna.

This, he said, was an unfair condition since it would not be viable for those with a quota of less than 200 kilogrammes to go out to fish so they would be losing their license once and for all, even if the tuna fishing quota was eventually increased.

Dr Sammut said fishermen had always been promised that none of them would be losing their licence and if fishermen did not buy of sell their 200 kilogramme quota they would be able to retain their licence so that if they caught a tuna accidentally, they would be able to legally sell the fish.

GOVERNMENT STATEMENT

But the Rural Affairs MInistry said in a statement that the opposition was misinformed on the management of the national tuna quota.

This was because every step taken by the Fisheries Department was in line with an agreement reached between the department and the two fisheries cooperatives. The ministry also published this agreement.

It said it was clear that the opposition spokesman was not conscious of the ICCAT recommendations to reduce tuna fishing because of the 30 per cent drop in the national tuna quota for conservation purposes.

The management plan of the national quota had to be based on this recommendation to ensure that fishermen's standard of living was safeguarded.