Fishing vessel electricity and water service charges to be cut by up to 57%

Electricity and water service charges for fishermen operating from Malta are set to be reduced, under measures announced by Government during a visit to Marsaxlokk.

Full-time and part-time fishermen operating vessels registered as MFA and MFB will benefit from a 55 per cent reduction in electricity service charges and a 57 per cent reduction in water service charges. Electricity charges for other vessels registered as MFC will meanwhile be reduced by 17 per cent.

The measures were announced by Prime Minister Robert Abela during an informal meeting with fishermen in Marsaxlokk, attended by Permanent Secretary for Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Supply Sharlo Camilleri and Fisheries and Aquaculture Director General Bjorn Azzopardi.

Government said the reductions are intended to lower operating costs for fishermen and support continued investment and economic activity in the sector.

It also announced plans to enter discussions with fishermen's organisations over a currently abandoned building at Xatt is-Sajjieda. The property is expected to be transferred to the Malta Food Agency and repurposed into a facility serving the fishing sector, including cold-storage facilities for fishermen.