The Fisheries Management Plans are subject to a revision process. The Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture organised a series of consultation sessions with fishermen to gather feedback on the fisheries sector apart from the ongoing scientific efforts to revise the existing management plans referred to in this measure. The Conservation Objectives and Measures for Malta's Marine Natura 2000 sites include national objectives and measures contributing to Marine Protected Area management. One such measure seeks an agreement, in consultation with the fisheries sector and fishers on a ‘Fish Revival Area’ which site will be subject to temporal and spatial closure of fishing activity in agreement with fishers for a specified period of time. This area will also contribute to address potential pressures from fisheries activity on seabed habitats.

Since the first cycle PoMs, Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on the conservation of fisheries resources and the protection of marine ecosystems through technical measures, amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1967/2006, applies.

Since the first cycle PoMs, Regulation (EU) 2019/1241 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 20 June 2019 on the conservation of fisheries resources and the protection of marine ecosystems through technical measures, amending Council Regulations (EC) No 1967/2006, applies. Recommendation GFCM/42/2018/11 on the regional marking of fishing gear adopted following the first cycle PoMs also applies. Through an Intersessional subgroup on sampling optimization within the Fisheries Regional Coordination Groups Med&BS, Malta is collaborating regionally with other Mediterranean Member States and Black Sea Member States to revise the sampling techniques of discards.

In line with Pilot Study 1 of Malta’s Work Plan for data collection in the fisheries and aquaculture sectors 2019, the Performance of the Recreational Fisheries Surveys towards the Data Collection Multi-Annual Programme was assessed. The inferred results from this pilot were presented to the RCG Med&BS and the EU Commission. Malta was also a project partner in the STREAMLINE project, in which a regional work plan on the collection of recreational fisheries data has been drafted. In addition, recommendation GFCM/45/2022/12, establishing a set of minimum rules for sustainable recreational fisheries in the Mediterranean Sea was adopted. This recommendation establishes minimum rules to ensure an effective management, control and monitoring of recreational fishing activities in the Mediterranean Sea. Another Union legislation applicable this measure is Regulation (EC) 1967/2006.

Recommendation GFCM/44/2021/16 on additional mitigation measures for the conservation of elasmobranchs in the Mediterranean Sea was adopted following the first cycle PoM. Under this recommendation, the Cooperating non-contracting Parties (CPCs) should enhance the collection and monitoring of data and the reporting of information on the incidental catch of elasmobranchs in line with the provisions of Recommendation GFCM/42/2018/2, with the FAO technical manual on Monitoring the incidental catch of vulnerable species in Mediterranean and Black Sea fisheries: methodology for data collection and with Task 3 of the Data Collection Reference Framework (DCRF). Other Union legislation applicable this measure is Regulation (EC) 1967/2006, Regulation (EU) 2015/2102, Council Regulation 1185/2003,Council Regulation 520/2007 and Regulation (EU) 605/2013.

While not directly targeting the commercial stock, the Conservation Objectives and Measures for Malta's Marine Natura 2000 sites include measures, in relation to the ‘reef’ habitat type, to enhance and facilitate the reporting scheme(s) for abandoned, lost, discarded fishing gear (ALDFG). GFCM recommendations/ resolutions adopted following the first cycle PoMs also apply: • Resolution GFCM/44/2021/14 on abandoned, lost or otherwise discarded fishing gear. • Recommendation GFCM/43/2019/1 on a set of management measures for the use of anchored fish aggregating devices in common dolphinfish fisheries in the Mediterranean Sea Another Union legislation applicable to this measure is Regulation (EC) 1224/2009.