An organisation representing around 60 spearfishing freedivers in Malta has spent months on social media highlighting the dangers posed by boaters who ignore diver-down markers. Its awareness campaign has now gained further exposure after being featured by the Times of Malta.
Founded in 1970, Malta Skin Divers Club claims to be the only spearfishing club in the Maltese islands. It says that its main aim is to promote responsible spearfishing in a safe manner while caring for the marine environment.
Following a series of reported incidents, the club has been reminding mariners – particularly occasional boat-users – that a blue-and-white Alpha flag and a red flag with a white diagonal stripe indicate that divers are below the surface. Transport Malta recommends that vessels keep a distance of at least 100m from a diver’s SMB.
Attard said that reports of near-misses involving divers had increased in recent years and had become commonplace along Malta’s east coast, from Birzebbuga in the south to the popular scuba-diving area of Cirkewwa in the north.
Jet-skis and boats powered by less than 30hp could be hired without the operator needing a nautical licence, leaving some users with little understanding of basic safety rules.
He also argued that the growing use of marine autopilot systems was encouraging some skippers to neglect maintenance of a proper look-out.
“More and more people are buying or renting boats – understandably so, because beaches are becoming so crowded,” said Attard. “The problem is that enforcement has not kept up with the increase in traffic.
“Sometimes when you surface and tell people to be more careful, they insult you, on top of endangering your life.” He cited an instance of a speardiver surfacing to find people stealing his catch and equipment from his float.
Dangerous behaviour
The campaign comes amid wider concerns over safety and enforcement along Malta’s increasingly busy coastline. While the Malta Ranger Unit has repeatedly reported dangerous behaviour by recreational water-users, it has also assisted the authorities in tackling illegal spearfishing, highlighting broader concerns about compliance with marine regulations.
While the Malta Skin Divers Club has long advocated for ethical spearfishing, recent operations involving the rangers, Department of Fisheries & Aquaculture and the Armed Forces of Malta have targeted divers accused of spearfishing in prohibited areas, fishing at night using scuba gear and taking protected species.
In one incident, a suspected illegal spearfisher allegedly drove his vehicle at fisheries officers while attempting to escape arrest after his equipment and catch had been seized.
For the Malta Skin Divers Club, however, the immediate concern remains ensuring that divers carrying the internationally recognised Alpha and Diver Down flags can enter the water without fear of passing boats ignoring the warnings.
