In an unbelievable U-turn within two weeks Notice to Mariners that banned all forms of navigation save for diving support vessels has been reversed. In a new Notice to Mariners 215 of 2023 issued today by Transport Malta on behalf of the Department of Fishes and Aquaculture, the permission for fishing within the conservation zones has returned as follows:"Surface fishing including trolling line (rixa) and angling for pelagic fish is permitted within the Conservation Areas, subject that a safe distance is maintained from the position of the wrecks."Notice to Mariners 215 of 2023This U-turn returned the status quo where fishing boats travel repeatedly close to the conservation zones (which only cover a few hundred square metres around the wrecks) whilst towing trolling lines targeting pelagic fish. The allowance of boats to enter the conservation areas also encourages other vessels to navigate, irrespective of whether they are fishing or not.Multiple near misses have been reported over the years with this practice with both Freedivers and Scuba Divers, apart from disturbing marine life due to noise. In an archipelago where diving is considered a niche and quality tourism market, hundreds of thousands of euros have been spent on scuttling wrecks and millions on marketing the diving product, protecting the immediate zone around these wrecks would be considered an automatic action. Apparently the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture, who is the entity which declares these zones in the absence of any relevant authority managing such diving sites, thinks differently.Questions are being sent by this site to the relevant authorities and article being brought to notice with local & international entities.You may voice your own dissent by sh