Tuna feed will start being stored and processed in a new plant in a bid to stop sea slime, the government said.
Economy Minister Silvio Schembri said a new project by Malta’s main aquaculture operators will also see tuna waste start being processed into new products for export.
“This is where we want to head. A project that is not only creating a new industry, which will enhance our economy, but we are turning fish waste into a valuable resource, waste that is normally dumped into the sea will, instead, be used to create a new product,” Schembri said.
The economy minister was speaking during a visit to a plant under construction at the Ħal Far industrial estate that will be used to manage tuna waste, processing it into new products, namely fishmeal and fish oil. For years, this waste has been dumped at sea by the operators.
€11m facility will also store and prepare tuna feed
The plant is an investment by Aquaculture Resources Limited, which is made up of AJD Tuna Ltd, Fish and Fish Ltd and MFF Ltd, the island’s three largest tuna ranchers.
The €11 million facility will also store and prepare tuna feed, minimising the amount of residual fat that makes its way into tuna pens.
To this aim, the operators will be investing in a new cold storage facility for feed.
Tuna ranchers feed their prize catches large volumes of oily fish and, if these are not properly thawed, fatty residue gathers on the sea surface. The current can then drag this towards the coast, clogging up bathing spots.
The issue of so-called sea slime has plagued beaches in recent years, prompting the fish farm operators’ lobby last year to commit to a series of self-regulatory measures that would run during the summer months.
Aquaculture Resources Ltd chief executive Charlon Gouder said the company was proud to be transitioning from a linear to a circular economy.
“ARL are proud to be transforming waste into a valuable product,” he said.
“This will add value to the tuna industry in Malta and increase exports by entering new markets which appreciate the value of fish meal and fish oil.”