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.

National Subsidiary Legislation 425.07 – Fishing Vessel Regulations - were amended since the first cycle PoMs.

Malta has catch limits for Bluefin Tuna, (Thunnus thynnus) Mediterranean Swordfish (Xiphias gladius) and also for Mediterranean Albacore (Thunnus alalunga) as per Council Regulation (EU) 2023/194. Each year Malta sends to the EU Commission lists of vessels which are authorised to fish for these species and the fishery is stopped once the quota of the above-mentioned species has been reached. These quotas are managed during the open seasons through real time monitoring at landing in designated ports and then by further cross checks through sales vouchers and landing declarations and Bluefin tuna catch documents (BCDs). In respect to farmed tuna, further controls are carried out by means of stereoscopic cameras to accurately monitor the amount of fish being caged in fattening farms, and any identified excess fish is subjected to a release order.

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.

GFCM recommendations/ resolutions adopted following the first cycle PoMs also apply: • Recommendation GFCM/45/2022/17 on information contained in the GFCM record of authorized vessels over 15 metres in the GFCM area of application, amending Recommendation GFCM/33/2009/6 and repealing Recommendation GFCM/44/2021/18 • Recommendation GFCM/44/2021/18 on the establishment of a GFCM record of authorized vessels over 15 metres in the GFCM area of application, amending Recommendation GFCM/33/2009/6 Other Union legislation applicable to this measure are Regulation (EC) 1967/2006, Regulation (EU) 1343/2011, Regulation (EU) 1380/2013 and Regulation (EU) 1343/2011.

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.

The Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture completed an EU funded programme under Union Priority 1. EMFF1.4.1 (Promoting environmentally sustainable, resource, efficient innovative, competitive and knowledge-based fisheries) which commenced in Q1 2018 and was completed by Q1 2021. A key component of effective management of pressures from fisheries activity on the marine environment is the active involvement of fishers in management processes. Such approach was adopted by three measures in the first Programme of Measures (MICMTM073_NEW, MICMTM076_NEW and MICMTM078_NEW) which sought improvement of knowledge on the interactions of fisheries with the marine environment in order to enable management of relevant pressures from fishing activity on species groups and benthic habitats. The implementation of these measures as undertaken to date has shown that there is scope for improvement in the involvement of fishers in environmental management processes. There is also the need to harmonise the implementation of the MSFD measures with the conservation measures for marine Natura 2000 sites as adopted in January 2023 (https://era.org.mt/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/MPAs-Conservation-Objectives-and-Measures_final_Feb2023.pdf). The management processes for Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) also recognise the need to involve fishers when addressing by-catch for seabirds, marine reptiles and marine mammals. In addition, the Marine Protected Area conservation measures seek the establishment of a committee including representatives of the local fishing community to identify an area where temporal and spatial management of fishing activity will be explored in agreement with fishers. Within this context, while MSFD measures MICMTM073_NEW (by-catch), MICMTM076_NEW (seabed habitats) and MICMTM078_NEW (commercially exploited species) are still deemed applicable and their implementation will be continued, different approaches will be explored to empower fishers and provide greater opportunities for knowledge sharing and direct involvement of fishers in management processes. The implementation of these measures will be sought in parallel with the primary aim of improving participation and involvement by fishers. Management processes will then be followed-up in synergy with the MPA conservation measures on the basis of the fishers’ engagement. Union legislation applicable to this measure is amending Regulations (EC) 1967/2006 and Council Regulation 520/2007.

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.