The eastern bluefin (BFT) 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.
With the season brewing, everyone is waiting for the Month of May, both French & Libyan Purse Seiners were seen at the Grand Harbour during the month of April…
First one to see was the 2003 built French built, flag and owned Purse Seiner JANVIER LOUIS RAPHAEL homeported at Sete with fishing matricola as ST 925310 which entered Valletta on Thursday 18th April at 1618hrs at Laboratory Wharf South 1 exchanging berth with Italian stern trawler ALESSANDRO.
She left Valletta on Sunday 21st April at 1834 hrs bound to Sete, France.
Leading the convoy of the Libyan Purse Seiners leaving Church Wharf bound to Libya was the 1977 French built 34 metre purse seiner NAWASI ALKIR 1 leaving Valletta at 1113 hrs. She’s the former French SAINT SOPHIE FRANCOIS of which she was renamed during May 2005.
More images can be found here – https://maltashipphotos.com/photo/nawasi-alkir-1-20-04-2024/
Following her was the 1987 built 30 metre LBY flag purse seiner EL HADER 2 homeported at Al Khums same as the above, She was also French built and the former CISBERLANDE IV of which we use to see her under French ownership like the above at Malta.
More images can be found here – https://maltashipphotos.com/photo/el-hader-2-khm-94-20-04-2024/
Following them later in the afternoon were the former 38 metre Italian purse seiner AL HARES 2 and the former 32 metre French purse seiner OEA.
