[WATCH] Updated | Fish farm pollution strikes again

Readers have sent in pictures of what is believed to be slime from fish farms once again washing up on beaches.

The pictures, of beaches in the South of Malta, show dark patches of slime on the coastline. The polluted areas include St.Peter’s Pool, Kalanka Bay and St. Thomas’ Bay. 

Attempts to contact the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture on Saturday proved futile.

This would be the last of several instances where slime leaked from fishfarms onto the coast this year.

Foam not coming from tuna farms - FMAP

In a reaction, the Federation of Maltese Aqualculture Producers denied that the images showed slime that resulted from tuna farming. It said that what was believed to be slime was in fact foam.

“This white foam is a natural phenomenon and has nothing to do with the aquaculture industry,” the FMAP said, adding that as part of a “self-regulation agreement”, operators had continued to monitor cages and the coast in order to ensure the lowest possible impact on the environment.

A video sent in by the FMAP

FMAP CEO Charlon Gouder said that in the past weeks, the federation, as well as operators had been in contact with the Environment and Resources Authority, which he said had “appreciated efforts being made by the industry”

Gouder said that “whenever reports of slime appear online, the source should be verified” and that “media organizations should not attribute every occurrence at sea to the aquaculture industry”.

Sea foam is a type of foam created by the agitation of seawater, particularly when it contains higher concentrations of dissolved organic matter, including proteins and lipids.