AQUATIC RESOURCES MALTA (ESTABLISHMENT AS AN AGENCY) ORDER

AQUATIC RESOURCES MALTA

(ESTABLISHMENT AS AN AGENCY)

SUBSIDIARY LEGISLATION 595.47

AQUATIC RESOURCES MALTA (ESTABLISHMENT

AS AN AGENCY) ORDER

7th December, 2023

LEGAL NOTICE 283 of 2023.

The title of this order is the Aquatic Resources Malta

(Establishment as an Agency) Order.

In this order, unless the context otherwise requires

"Act" means the Public Administration Act;

"Agency" means Aquatic Resources Malta established by

article 3;

"agreement" means the Agency performance agreement

as provided in article 6;

"Minister" means the Minister responsible for fisheries

and aquaculture;

"Permanent Secretary" means the Permanent Secretary

within the Ministry responsible for fisheries and aquaculture.

(1)

There shall be an Agency, to be known as Aquatic

Resources Malta, which shall coordinate and implement applied

research and development projects related to the aquaculture and

fisheries industries.

(2)

The Agency shall be a body corporate having separate

and distinct legal personality and shall be capable of entering into

contracts, of employing personnel, of acquiring, holding and disposing

of any kind of property for the purposes of its operations, and of suing

and being sued, of doing all such things and entering into all such

transactions as are incidental or conducive to the exercise or

performance of its functions under this order. and any other function or

operation of Government which may be assigned to it under this law or

any other law.

(3)

The legal and judicial representation of the Agency shall

be vested with the Chief Executive Officer thereof or such other

officer of the Agency as the Minister responsible for it may from time

to time appoint by notice in the Gazette.

(1)

In the execution of its functions, the Agency shall

have the following responsibilities

(a)

establish the priority and direction of research

AQUATIC RESOURCES MALTA

(ESTABLISHMENT AS AN AGENCY)

areas in line with the fisheries and aquaculture multi-annual

strategic plans adopted by the Ministry responsible for fisheries

and aquaculture and to align, where possible, research priorities

with European Union and United Nations strategies and related

funding mechanisms;

(b)

implement projects that shall contribute towards

the fulfilment of the fisheries and aquaculture multi-annual

strategic plans;

(c)

establish the best methods of sustainable

development of the industry in line with the multi-annual

strategic plans and other European Union and global initiatives,

to achieve growth in the sustainable maritime sector and in

circular economy;

(d)

support student projects within the framework of

the research projects and to distribute information and educate

students and the general public on the importance of

aquaculture and fisheries, and their contribution to the Maltese

economy;

(e)

act as a consulting body and advise the

Government on policy for the aquaculture and fisheries

industries;

(f)

act as the knowledge and technology transfer

Agency for Government in the aquaculture and fisheries

industries;

(g)

encourage and attract investment into aquaculture

and fisheries;

(h)

exercise any function that may be assigned by the

responsible Minister.

(2)

The Agency shall have the power to

(a)

collaborate with other agencies, corporations,

authorities, government and non-government entities and other

persons for the carrying out of its functions;

(b)

enter into arrangements with public bodies, public

authorities, government departments and public corporations in

fulfilling its functions;

(c)

manage its own finances;

(d)

establish fees for the services it provides;

(e)

create

revenue

streams

from

the

services

AQUATIC RESOURCES MALTA

(ESTABLISHMENT AS AN AGENCY)

provided; and

(f)

with the consent of the Minister, enter into joint

ventures or partnerships or other arrangements to fulfil any one

of its functions.

(1)

The Minister responsible for the Agency shall be

the Minister responsible for fisheries and aquaculture or such other

Minister as may be designated for such purpose by the Prime Minister.

(2) The Permanent Secretary shall supervise the Agency in

accordance with article 29 of the Act

Provided that the Prime Minister may assign the

responsibility of the Agency to another Minister, and its supervision to

the Permanent Secretary of that Ministry.

The operations of the Agency shall follow an agreement

which is to be entered into between the Permanent Secretary and the

Agency.

The Agency shall be regulated by the provisions of the

Public Finance Management Act unless otherwise stipulated in the

agreement between the Permanent Secretary and the Agency, in which

case, the provisions of the agreement shall prevail.