The eastern bluefin migration has supported valuable fisheries in the Mediterranean since antiquity. Initially based on hand lines and beach seines, these fisheries were dominated after the 16th century by tuna cages placed in the path of migrating tuna. After the expansion of purse seines and longlines in the Atlantic (in the 1950s) and in the Mediterranean (in the 1970s), the importance of tuna fishing has gradually decreased. The main EU fishing countries are Spain, France and Italy, and to a lesser extent, Croatia, Portugal, Malta, Greece and Cyprus.
Another interesting fishing vessel involved in this year season is the 2022 built Algerian purse seiner LES FRERES BENAMANE. She entered Grand Harbour, Malta last Wednesday 31st May at 1121 hrs r coming from Gouraya, Algeria.
She was built in March 2022 as EL HADJ EL OUANES I and was renamed to her current name since May 2022.
She’s 35 metre long with radio call sign as 7T2958 with fishing matricola as BM 500-279 with homeport as Boumerdes (DZA)
She has 2 skifs with one on her stern ramp like most of the purse seiners and her Her ICCAT registry permit is – AT000DZA00999
Owned by Sarl CORENAV who is a boat builder too based at Port Zemmouri El Bahri.
And she was secured at Bridge Wharf alongside 2 Libyan purse seiners.