Updated 7pm with ERA response
Sea slime has once again started appearing along the coasts in recent weeks, with swimmers eager to enjoy the last few weeks of summer complaining promises by fish farm operators were not being met.
The issue had plagued beaches in recent years, prompting the fish farm operator lobby to commit to a series of self-regulatory measures to run during the summer months.
These measures included having booms to collect oily residues and assigning a skimmer-equipped boat to each pen for collecting any waste material in the area.
Despite this, reports of slime along various beaches have resurfaced, with swimmers complaining of spotting foamy patches of oil in St Paul’s Bay, Marsascala and Buġibba.
Boat owners have also complained the slime was sticking to their vessels, which could result in long-term damage.
Meanwhile, swimmers also reported getting coated with a slick of oil when getting out of the sea on days when there was slime along the coast.
Industry sources told Times of Malta that despite the operators’ claims that any residue would be collected during feeding times, this was a difficult feat given the large number of pens surrounding the island.
Not all bluefin tuna operators are members of this self-regulatory agreement and hence we are not privy to their operations in relation to cleaning- Federation of Maltese Aquaculture Producers
Even if efforts were being made, the sources said, there were simply too many tuna pens for the operators to manage collecting all the waste material.
ERA says conditions being observed
The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) responded to the reports on Monday by insisting that the fish farms were all inspected at least three times a week and were in line with all conditions.
"All feeding procedures are being undertaken in order to reduce fat-laden thaw water from bait fish, from reaching the sea. Any fish remnants resulting during the feeding process is collected by cleaning vessel that patrol the perimeter of the fish farms," the authority said in a statement.
ERA said the slime in Marsascala was cleaned up by operators while other reports turned out to be a bloom of blue algae.
What do fish farm operators say?
When contacted about the latest slime reports, a spokesman for the Federation of Maltese Aquaculture Producers (FMAP) told Times of Malta the self-regulatory agreement signed last year had been extended to this summer as well.
“Each farm member of the Federation has at its disposal at least two vessels being used in patrolling and clean-up efforts are being carried out on a daily basis on the farm and beyond.
“Unfortunately, not all bluefin tuna operators are members of this self-regulatory agreement and hence – as a federation – we are not privy to their operations in relation to cleaning,” he said.
The federation, he went on, was informed other operators were not adhering to best standard practices in relation to feeding, thawing, transportation of fish and cleaning.
The spokesman insisted efforts being made by the operators of the industry should also be shared by others who are dependent on sea and the marine environment for their operations.