Category: Press Releases

The Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) is calling for collective action towards the combating of invasive alien species, which are considered to be one of the major causes of biodiversity loss, both in Malta and worldwide. The Authority has developed and launched a National Strategy and a set of eight complimentary codes of good practice to address this aspect.

The National Strategy for Preventing and Mitigating the Impact of Invasive Alien Species (IAS) in the Maltese Islands and the National Sector-Specific Codes of Good Practice in Relation to Invasive Alien Species in the Maltese Islands are available for viewing on the ERA website​ and will remain open for a six-week public consultation until 23/01/2019. Feedback may be sent via e-mail on [email protected].

Alien species are plants or animals which are not native to the Maltese Islands and which are introduced into our environment by humans. Invasive alien species are those which, after being introduced whether deliberately or accidentally, start growing and multiplying spontaneously in the wild. These are termed “invasive” because they rapidly increase in number when conditions are favourable, while negatively impacting our environment, society and the economy.

Examples of invasive alien species which have become a common sight, and unfortunately often take over native biodiversity, include the crimson fountain grass, acacias, century plants, Kaffir fig and rats. Certain invasive alien species also create significant socio-economic impacts, particularly plant pests, which affect the agriculture and horticulture sectors such as the red palm weevil, which affects palm trees.

The National Strategy and Codes of Good Practice which ERA has developed have been designed for use by all those stakeholders involved in the regulation, movement and use of, as well as management of, alien species in the Maltese Islands. These policies fulfil the requirements of Malta’s National Biodiversity Strategy and Action Plan and are complimentary to existing regulations under the Laws of Malta.

For additional information on invasive alien species please visit this link.

For clarifications on this press release, kindly contact [email protected].

For any queries on invasive alien species contact ERA on [email protected] or on 2292 3500.

The Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control (IPPC) Regulations require certain facilities to obtain a permit from the Authority covering their operations.

To this end, the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) Board has today, 23 November 2018, taken two decisions as indicated below on the IPPC permits for the following applications:

• Variation of the Sterling Chemical Malta Ltd. – APPROVED
• Variation & Renewal of Gasparell Baling Plant Ltd. – APPROVED

The permit for the Sterling Chemical Malta Ltd., covers the continued operations of the installation whose main activity involves the production of Active Pharmaceutical Ingredients (APIs).

The permit for Gasparell Baling Plant Ltd., covers the operation of waste management facility comprising of a baling plant and an end of life vehicle facility.

The IPPC permits issued cover a number of environmental obligations which operators are to fulfil throughout the validity of the permit so as to ensure the required level of environment protection.

All public consultation documents are available on the ERA website here.

For further information, kindly contact [email protected]

The Environment & Resources Authority is collaborating with ŻiguŻajg International Arts Festival for Children and Young People to launch the project Fair with Air at Schools.

This air quality project, which is part of an initiative being carried out by a number of European countries, will bring together school children and their teachers to monitor outdoor air quality around their schools. Specialised monitoring equipment will monitor the levels of nitrogen dioxide, an air pollutant mostly produced by vehicles, around schools in Malta and Gozo to determine the status and effects of transport on the outdoor air quality.

The project was launched this morning at Spazju Kreattiv. As part of this project, Żigużajg is showcasing the winning poster designs by the 5-10 year and the 11-16 year age groups from a Poster Design Competition hosted by ERA. This poster competition on Air Quality: Our Environment & Our Role, focused on air quality, covering aspects such as the science behind the air we breathe and the community’s role in minimising air pollution. The posters will remain exhibited for the public until Sunday 25th November.

This morning, Minister for the Environment Sustainable Development, the Environment and Climate Change Hon Dr Herrera, along with ERA Director Environment & Resources Perit Michelle Piccinino, were shown around this exhibiton by Fondazzjoni Kreattività Chairman Rupert Cefai and ŻiguŻajg Festival Director Daniel Azzopardi. Fondazzjoni Kreattività Chairman Rupert Cefai pointed out that a children’s festival must safeguard our children’s future and work towards a healthy environment for all while Perit Michelle Piccinino recognised that in line with the aim of the festival, ERA’s project was set up to raise awareness on air quality and the role that each citizen has to improve air quality. Hon Dr Herrera also commended ERA’s work in reaching out to youths to empower them in thinking that their decisions have an impact on the environment. He said “It is important that children embrace the environment as an integral part of their lives”.

Submissions for this poster competition surpassed expectations. Hundreds of posters, including a considerable number from various schools around Malta were received by ERA, each one creative and artistic in its own right. Posters were judged and attractive prizes were awarded during a ceremony held earlier this year.

ŻiguŻajg is taking place between 16 and 25 November in Valletta, Malta and Gozo. This year the Festival is undertaking several environmentally-friendly measures, including separating waste and more eco-friendly gifts for children.​

ERA continues to implement the EMFF project for knowledge improvement and better management practices of pressures on the marine environment.

Marine Monitoring Consortium (M3C) have been commissioned by the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) to implement and update the existing marine monitoring programme and to develop a database of the data gathered. The scope of the monitoring programme is to assess the state of the marine environment. The M3C consortium is comprised of AIS Environment Ltd (Malta) and AZTI Tecnalia (Spain).

Devising a holistic approach towards marine monitoring is one of ERA’s ultimate goals for this European Maritime and Fisheries Fund (EMFF 2014-2020) project. The effective management and sustainable use of marine resources is for the benefit of the environment and for all marine sectors, including our economy. ERA is expected to absorb the full €1.6 million in public eligible EMFF funds (75% EU 25% MT), allocated for this programme to continue working towards achieving Good Environmental Status in our marine waters.

ERA will be sharing the concrete data and information obtained from the project with various entities. In this regard, the project will contribute towards reaching Malta’s obligations as an EU Member State in relation to the marine sector.

Four stakeholder workshops and a final conference will be held as part of the project in order to disseminate the knowledge garnered. The 2nd workshop was held on 5th October 2018 to:

• Introduce the project and its main objectives;
• Give an overview of the progress of the project so far;
• Describe some results collected during the first monitoring year;
• Outline the recommendations made for the updated monitoring programme; and
• Describe the plan for the second monitoring year.​

Besides representatives from ERA and M3C, other entities, which are directly or indirectly responsible for the marine environment, were present and also contributed feedback to the future of this project. Attendees included the Ministry for the Environment, Sustainable Development and Climate Change, Ministry for Gozo, Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, Continental Shelf Directorate, Transport Malta, Environment and Health Directorate, Malta Marittima Agency, and the University of Malta.

For further information kindly contact [email protected]

The Environment and Resources Authority has prepared an Information Document to guide Green Infrastructure in Malta. This document is now open for public consultation. Green Infrastructure (GI) relates to landscaping and its planning in natural, rural and urban settings, and promotes greener approaches in landscaping and land management.

One of the main environmental challenges we face today is the small size of the country and the loss of biodiversity associated with degradation. The promotion of green infrastructure as well as several on-going and planned green infrastructure projects aim at expanding green open spaces in both rural and urban settings and reducing carbon and water footprint. Various initiatives are also supported by EU funds.

Michelle Piccinino, the Director of Environment and Resources at ERA said that “This is a relatively new concept in Malta. Green infrastructure is seen as a solution aimed at bettering quality of life, at improving water and air quality and maintaining biodiversity. This has multiple other social, health and economic benefits, besides the more obvious ecological benefits.”

The consultation document aims to provide an informative account of the concept of GI and is intended to help promote and motivate additional initiatives at various levels in line with relevant and applicable national laws. Throughout the consultation document, ERA underlines that GI needs to be developed whilst taking into account both the natural and social aspects to achieve a better quality of life.

The information document is available for consultation at the following link: https://era.org.mt/en/Documents/GI_InformationDocument-Consultation-ERA-18.pdf

For further information, kindly contact [email protected]​

The Environment & Resources Authority (ERA) together with No To Plastic Malta, Emergency Response & Rescue Corps (ERRC) and Raniero’s Adventures organised an underwater clean-up dive at Qammieħ Reef, during which at least four deep water fishing nets were recovered. These nets were found lying at depths ranging from 30 to 55 metres deep. The nets were collected by Wasteserv, who will clean them together with #ŻIBEL, so that the nets can be potentially recycled overseas.

Qammieħ Reef, situated between Ċirkewwa and the Red Tower, provides a popular fishing spot. Unfortunately, many Ghost fishing nets get entangled on the reef and are subsequently discarded. These nets can indiscriminately kill large quantities of marine life, besides also being a source of marine pollution.

The amount of litter present in Malta’s marine waters is of growing concern for the Environment and Resources Authority. Perit Michelle Piccinino said that the Authority looks forward to supporting such clean-up initiatives, as these compliment policies that ERA develops in this regard. Such initiatives contribute to the achievement of the objectives of the Programme of Measures reported by Malta as part of the requirements of the EU Marine Strategy Framework Directive. This programme seeks the achievement of Good Environmental Status in relation to litter in the marine environment through, amongst others, the removal of accumulated litter. The importance of clean-ups has also been recognised by UNEP/MAP’s Regional Plan for the Marine Litter Management in the Mediterranean, which calls on Contracting Parties, including Malta, to remove existing accumulated litter in a regular manner, particularly, litter impacting endangered species.

ERA would like to thank the Ministry of Environment, Sustainable Development and Climate Change for their support throughout, and the participating dive centres including: Strand Diving, Octopus Garden Dive Centre, Scubatech and Maltaqua. Special thanks goes to the 14 divers who took part in this clean-up, with another 4 people assisting from the deck.

For further information kindly contact [email protected]

ERA will be commissioning a study on the dioxin and furan levels in the soil, following the incident at Magħtab this morning. These persistent organic pollutants will be tested for because they are usually present when plastic burns at a low temperature.

International experts will be engaged by ERA to sample and analyse the soil from different locations affected by the fallout from the plume.

ERA officers will try to inspect the site once it is safe to do so. Furthermore, ERA will be issuing additional information in the coming days when the analyses and investigations have been concluded.

Hatchlings pleasantly surprised those at the bay when they emerged from their marked nest during the night after a successful period of incubation and despite the wet weather which threatened the viability of the eggs in this nest. Nature Trust – FEE Malta (NTM) and volunteers who were present immediately informed the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) of the event taking place and took action on the ground to see the hatchlings safely to the water’s edge.

Hatchlings are naturally attracted to moon light shining on the sea surface and their first response, upon emerging from the eggs, is to swim towards light. In view of this, ERA kickstarted its planned response to reduce disturbance from artificial light or any physical barriers at the bay so as to ensure that the hatchlings’ first journey is a successful one.

ERA would like to thank the NTM, the Ministry of Environment, Sustainable Development and Climate Change, all volunteers who contributed their time to achieve the protection of this species and the strengthening of the marine biodiversity in Malta. ERA also thanks all other entities that cooperated in this event.

For further information kindly contact [email protected]

ERA has worked incessantly with the Civil Protection Department (CPD) on the fires that engulfed Il-Maqluba, which is both a Tree Protection Area and a Special Area of Conservation of International Importance.

ERA enforcement officers inspected the site a number of times, while CPD officers continued to fight the flames, even in the most inaccessible areas of this karstic depression that continued smouldering. Initial indications show that some protected trees were scorched, but sources familiar with the area informed that clumps of giant reed, which are an invasive species, probably bore the brunt of the flames. However, a more accurate assessment of damages can only be made once the fires are extinguished completely.

In the meantime, ERA enforcement officers have also been in contact both with the CPD and with the Police to conclusively determine the exact cause of the flames, and to ascertain the location that the fireworks had been let off from. ERA enforcement continues to offer its assistance to the Police in their investigations.

A necropsy on a dead leatherback turtle which was brought to the Ċirkewwa quay by the Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) yesterday, Wednesday 15th August, found that the turtle died from pneumonia that developed into a generalised inflammation. However it was also noted that the animal had been severely weakened by ingestion of plastic material which was found in the intestines. The cause of death was issued by Dr Anthony Gruppetta, veterinary, who performed the necropsy on behalf of Nature Trust Malta. The animal had been found entangled in drift nets, which also left their toll on the animal.

A leatherback turtle was first noticed at about noon yesterday, between Ras il-Qala and Taħt it-Trunċiera, along the coast close to the Qala quarries, entangled in nets. Subsequently, AFM informed ERA of a report of a huge turtle at sea between Qala and Comino. AFM were asked to land this turtle at Ċirkewwa, and ERA officials proceeded on scene to co-ordinate efforts.

Upon arrival it was discovered that the turtle in question was a juvenile leatherback female turtle 1.85m long, which was dead. This leatherback had a carapace length of about 1.20m by 0.97m (carapace width), and was nearly 1.85 m long from head to tail, with a weight of 190 Kgs.

The Civil Protection Department provided assistance to lift the dead specimen from the boat to the quay. The turtle was then transported and a necroscopy carried out to establish the cause of death. ERA also invited the University of Malta to take samples for research purposes.

This species, Dermochelys coriacae, (Fekruna sewda) is not commonly encountered in the Mediterranean and in Maltese waters and though the last stranding dated July 2015, most of the confirmed sightings of this species around the Maltese date some decades back. The turtles commonly found in Maltese seas are in fact loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta).

The leatherbacks that come to the Mediterranean are most probably from the Atlantic sub-population. Leatherback turtles are highly migratory species, crossing the Atlantic Ocean and occasionally entering the Mediterranean Sea. Leatherback turtles, along with all the marine turtles, were protected in Malta since 1992 through legislation which at the time reflected the obligations of the Barcelona Convention. This species is also protected under CITES, the Bern & Bonn Conventions and under the Habitats Directive. In the latter it is classified as “Animals of Community Interest in need of Strict Protection”.

Although their distribution is wide, numbers have seriously declined globally. The northwest Atlantic populations were the ones that generally swam into the Mediterranean, and their normal nesting areas are actually in the south-eastern USA and the Caribbean Sea.

Leatherbacks are the largest sea turtle species, and among the heaviest modern reptiles globally. They can grow up to a weight of 900 kgs. They do not have a hard ‘outer’ shell, but a carapace that is elongated and covered by skin and oily flesh which has given this turtle its name; leatherback turtle.

This turtle has no claws on the flippers which are more elongated and paddle like than in other sea turtles. The leatherback turtle is also quite special as it has the widest geographical range of any of the sea turtles. It tolerates very cold waters unlike other reptiles, due to adaptations in its circulation, high oil content and enormous body size. These turtles are the only turtles which feed exclusively on jellyfish and jelly like creatures, and hence are very susceptible to plastics in the sea which they mistake for jellyfish. In fact, a similar case of a dead leatherback turtle was recorded in 2015.

ERA would like to thank Nature Trust Malta, the Armed Forces of Malta, the Cleansing Department, Bubbles Dive Centre, the Civil Protection Department, and MTTF for their assistance in this case.

For further information kindly contact [email protected]