Malta poised for major increase in national tuna quota, government says

Malta is set to benefit from a substantial increase in its bluefin tuna quota following negotiations at an international fisheries meeting, Parliamentary Secretary for Fisheries Alicia Bugeja Said announced on Monday.

In a statement on social media, Bugeja Said said the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) had concluded its latest round of talks, during which the European Union’s tuna allocation for the next three years was discussed.

According to initial indications emerging from the meeting, Malta could see its quota rise by as much as 70 tonnes—a historic increase that would bring the country’s total allocation to over 500 tonnes.

The final figure, however, will depend on negotiations at EU level during the December Fisheries Council, where member states’ quotas for next year are formally decided.

Bugeja Said described the potential increase as a direct result of long-term conservation measures.

“This success in the recovery of tuna stocks occurred thanks to the sacrifices made by Maltese and European fishers over the years,” she said, adding her thanks to officials from the Fisheries and Aquaculture Department who participated in the ICCAT process.