Malta Ranger Unit Ends Monitoring of Ċirkewwa Marine Park After MTA Agreement Ends

The Malta Ranger Unit (MRU) has announced that it will immediately stop monitoring Ċirkewwa Marine Park following a decision by the Ċirkewwa Marine Park Management Council and the Malta Tourism Authority (MTA) not to extend its collaboration with the NGO.

According to the MRU, the new management agreement for the marine park will begin on 1 September, with the organisation not included in the new agreement. The MRU said the decision was not related to the quality of its Rangers’ work, but declined to comment further on the reason provided.

The Rangers had been monitoring the area for illegal activities including night-time spearfishing, illegal net fishing and speeding vessels. They also assisted divers, raised awareness about marine legislation and reported illegalities to the relevant authorities.

The MRU said its presence had contributed to a significant reduction in serious illegal activities, while divers had also reported an improvement in marine life.

The Professional Diving Schools Association (PDSA) has expressed disappointment over the decision, saying it was neither consulted nor informed about the future management of the site.

The PDSA praised the Rangers’ work and stressed that Ċirkewwa, Malta’s most popular shore-diving site, requires continuous monitoring and enforcement.

PDSA spokesperson Simone Brinch Iversen said the recovery of the site was “the direct result of the Rangers’ hard work”, adding that the association is concerned about any potential gap in protection during the management transition.

The MRU is urging the public to report any illegal activity directly to the MTA or the marine park’s management.

#MaltaDaily