Slime coats in style St Paul’s Bay swimming spot

Archbishop Charles Scicluna has slammed company greed after a well-liked swimming spot in St Paul’s Bay was left coated in oily slime. 

The Archbishop shared images and video on X exhibiting a slick of white sludge masking a stretch of water on the St Paul’s Bay seafront that’s in style with bathers.  

“The sea is horribly slimy this morning at Sirens bathing zone in Malta’s St Paul’s Bay due to a sticky, oily substance which seems to originate from fish farms. Another sad instance in our country of the many paying for the enrichment of the few,” Scicluna wrote. 

Slime and odour, typically of decaying fish, have been a continuing, particularly within the St Paul’s Bay space, the place quite a few fish farms are situated. Until final yr, the Environment and Resources Authority issued a complete of 29 administrative fines and cease orders towards fish farms for the reason that environmental watchdog was established in 2017.

A reader additionally despatched in images of the St Paul’s Bay slick, however prompt the origin could possibly be the boats moored within the space. 

“Floating heavens-knows-what in the sea in St Paul’s Bay. This needs serious attention as once reported to #cleanmalta [the Cleansing and Maintenance Division] nothing is ever done about it. No doubt coming from boats moored nearby. Dangerous for people swimming,” she mentioned. 

Despite the presence of the slime, some bathers took a dip nonetheless. Photo: Archbishop Charles Scicluna / X

Sea sludge was an everyday prevalence on Maltese seashores for quite a few years, till it reached dramatic ranges, prompting authorities to situation fines and enforcement orders towards main operators. 

However, that has not stopped the slime from reappearing infrequently. 

In 2022, the ocean off Marscascala was contaminated with a sticky, sludge-like substance, whereas slime was additionally noticed at bays in Pembroke, Balluta, and Exiles. 

Last yr, Qala mayor Paul Buttiġieġ angrily complained to the authorities and fish farm operators after slime washed up at in style Ħondoq Bay over the previous few days.

He mentioned he suspected that the slime had drifted from a fish farm off St Paul’s Bay.