DATELINE: 27 September 2002

COMINO PROPOSED AS MARINE PARK

The popular Maltese diving destination looks set to become a marine sanctuary, with restrictions on fishing and a ban on spearfishing.
Malta's environmental authority has put forward a proposal that Comino become a marine conservation area, and the suggestion appears to have won political support. The benefits for diving tourism have been quoted as a central reason for the proposal.
A Green Party spokesman on tourism, quoted in the Maltese press said "This will be a concrete action which will promote eco tourism in Malta in the International Year dedicated to eco tourism. Actions speak much louder than words. This concrete measure will also attract more divers to our country to the benefit of our tourist industry. We should exploit this niche market to the full, especially in light of the fact that Malta is attractive to foreign divers due to good visibility, the presence of wrecks in our seas and the competitive prices offered by Maltese diving clubs"