Tuna farms send six vessels to clean up sea slime, ERA says
The environmental watchdog instructed tuna farms to clean up, following investigations
Tuna farms have deployed six cleaning vessels to remove sea slime spotted around the island, the environmental watchdog said.
Over the past week, there have been numerous sightings of sea slime along Malta’s eastern coast, frustrating beachgoers over the Santa Maria weekend.
The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) said in a statement that, following investigations, it had instructed tuna ranching operators to carry out clean-up operations.
“Whenever fish slime is detected, often before it reaches the shore, ERA promptly instructs operators to take all necessary measures to contain and collect it,” the authority said.
ERA urged anyone who spots sea slime to report it immediately by calling 22923500.
Archbishop Charles Scicluna was the first to report slime earlier this week, in St Paul’s Bay. The slime persisted there throughout the week, with vessels seen cleaning up near the shore.
On Tuesday, photos and videos showed swimmers among the slime in Sliema. A day later, Mellieħa mayor Gabriel Micallef posted a video on Facebook showing sea slime at Għadira.
On Thursday, beachgoers in Buġibba were also seen swimming through slime, while clean-up crews worked nearby.
Maltese Aquaculture Producers Federation CEO Charlon Gouder said the federation was “aware of it and we are taking care of it,” adding that crews were in Sliema clearing the slime.
He said analysis of similar patches collected in recent weeks “shows it’s not necessarily fish slime,” and that results of tests carried out will be published “towards the end of the summer.”