The lack of control of the aquaculture sector not only has an impact on the environment but also on business, according to the owner of a fish farm in the south.

Joseph Caruana, owner of Fish and Fish Limited, said the lack of monitoring posed a problem for those companies that invest in implementing best practices.

“No control is a problem for me. Monitoring fish farm practices would mean that everyone has to abide by set standards. It creates a level playing field,” he said.

He admitted the sector has an impact on the environment, stressing that all human activity does. Yet the impact can be contained with measures and technology to limit the damage.

He would not admit the greasy slime stinking of fish that regularly drifts into the southern bays is coming from the fish farms. “We always get the blame but people are not considering Hurd Bank that is some four kilometres away. We sometimes get white patches that look like some kind of chemical residue drifting into our cages,” he said.

Every summer, swimmers in the popular southern bays complain of the slime. After this newspaper reported the occurrence again last week, readers sent in a flood of complaints against the farms.

A Facebook page launched after the publication of the story generated over 1,300 likes within a few days.

Regular visitors to the area have observed a pattern when the slime appears. In the early hours of the morning, the beaches boast crystal clear blue waters. In the afternoon, the slime starts to penetrate the beaches, depending on currents. They have associated this with feeding time at the fish farms.

One resident told this newspaper: “I’ve been a regular visitor to the beach for the last 30 years but the water has never been as foul as in recent years… the slime from the farms drifts in especially with sea currents from the south. The stench is sometimes unbearable”.

We never asked fora university in the south… some attention to basics, such as the quality of the sea in which we swim, should come first

He said he recently contracted an infection from swimming at Peter’s Pool, which is the only place he swims. He said tourists also complained.

Another reader said: “We never asked for a university in the south [referring to the controversial American University of Malta]. What we want in terms of the regeneration of the south is some attention to the basics, such as the quality of the sea in which we swim. That should come first,” she said.

Years of complaints by residents and local councils have fallen on deaf ears. The authorities still say they cannot pinpoint the source of the pollution, although the planning authority told this newspaper last week “the slime residue may be the result of feeding techniques being used by fish farms”.

Tuna is caught in the wild and fattened in cages. Photo: Shutterstock

A tax on the feed used in fish farms announced in Budget 2015, expected to bring in some €2 million, was never implemented after the multimillion-euro sector opposed it.

Mr Caruana explained the feeding process on his farms. It uses a square feeding cage surrounded by canvas to prevent waste from entering the sea. The cage is lowered into the sea, and divers open the bottom at intervals until they see the fish have eaten enough. “It is not in our interest to overfeed the fish. That’s a waste. It costs money,” he said.

Fish like sea bream are fed pellets, while tuna (which is caught from the wild and fattened in cages) are fed small fish species such as sardines.

Not all farms use this procedure. Some throw the fish directly into the cages. It is unclear what feeding method is used by the neighbouring farm, operated by Malta Fish Farming Ltd, a subsidiary of construction company Elbros Ltd.

Elbros was found to have expanded its number of cages from five to around 20 in breach of the permit.

When contacted, company owner Salvu Ellul said that he did not owe anybody an explanation of the company’s expansion or operations.

“I don’t have to tell you or anybody what I’m doing,” he said.

The planning authority remained tight-lipped about the breach of permit.

The management of the aquaculture sector changed following the split of the environment and planning functions of the former Mepa. The planning authority remains responsible for permits, while the management falls under the responsibility of the newly established environment authority.

The change offers hope that something will finally be done to address the problem affecting swimming zones year after year.

“As the newly established environment authority, we’re taking the initiative to rope in all the competent authorities who should be involved in the matter so as to arrive at a solution in the shortest time frame possible,” a spokeswoman said.

The sector ultimately falls under the responsibility of Fisheries Parliamentary Secretary Roderick Galdes. The secretariat did not comment when questions were sent, except to direct this newspaper to the environment authority.

Two years ago, Mr Galdes launched a strategy for the aquaculture sector that promised to improve regulations, operations and environmental monitoring. Yet it seems to be gathering dust.

Mr Caruana hopes it will some day be implemented. “What we have is stagnation. We can make efforts to improve our operations but we need the support. We are grateful we are seeing growth in the sector, but for us to minimise the impact of our operations on land and at sea, we have work together,” he said.

Marine biologist Alan Deidun believes the starting point to addressing the slime in southern bays is a long-term, independent study to establish the source.

caroline.muscat@timesofmalta.com