Charlon Gouder, the CEO of The Federation of Maltese Aquaculture Producers, has refused to answer questions sent over potential conflicts of interest he may have had while he was Environment Minister Jose Herrera’s policy consultant.

Gouder’s role as a policy consultant to the minister was terminated on September 9th 2018, a few days after he was chosen by tuna farms to act as their chief lobbyist.

A former journalist on One TV, Gouder joined the private secretariat of Herrera in 2013. He was then hired as a policy consultant to Herrera in 2015, once he had graduated as a lawyer.

Tuna farm operators have been under the microscope after serious allegations emerged against two leading operators and the director-general of the Fisheries Department.

The revelations form part of a wider pan-European investigation, dubbed Operation-Tarantelo, which has so far seen the seizure of more than 80,000 kilos of bluefin tuna and the arrest of 79 individuals, with the estimated value of the illegal trade standing at €25 million.

Results from the investigation were first published in October 2018, however, sources have claimed that the local operators and ministry officials were aware of the investigation as early as June 2018.

Several messages seen by the newsroom also show how a number of senior officials at the Ministry, such as Gouder, Minister Herrera and Permanent Secretary Joe Caruana, were well aware of the numerous abuses taking place in Malta’s fish farms.

Sources have even said that in one meeting, while Gouder was still working at the ministry, PS for Fisheries Clint Camilleri expressly asked him whether he was representing the ministry’s or the operators’ interests

It was also claimed that while initial meetings with regards to fish farm operators were headed and hosted by Camilleri, Minister Herrera eventually took over the role.

Lovin Malta sought to clarify the situation in what is proving to be a complex narrative in an industry that, for lack of a better pun, stinks.

Gouder was expressly asked when he stopped working for the ministry and moved to FMAP, whether he was aware of any alleged wrongdoing from local operators and the ongoing Spanish investigation during his tenure at the ministry, and details regarding his remuneration and role.

Gouder was also taken to task over FMAP’s widely differing stances with regards to the allegations made by Spanish newspaper, El Confidencial.

FMAP immediately called for the suspension of Fisheries Director Andreina Fenech Farrugia after claims that she could have potentially obtained payments from Spanish tuna-magnate and Mare Blu Director Jose Fuentes to use her influence.

“This news is worrying and requires immediate action,” Gouder said. “It requires immediate action to at least preserve any form of evidence.”

While the Ministry followed the request, FMAP displayed a noticeably different attitude once Malta Fish Farming Ltd. (MFF) was named as “one of the suppliers of tuna illegally caught and fattened” in the country, just a week later.

Gouder told Lovin Malta that “the Federation through its appointed lawyer in Spain is closely following the issue” asking to refer to their previous statement when asked what action FMAP would be taking.

MFF ltd., owned by former Elbros owner Saviour Ellul, has “categorically” denied to El Confidencial that the company was “ever involved in the smuggling of illegal fish from Malta to Spain”.

Fenech Farrugia has also vehemently denied the claims, insisting that she held “highest standards of professionalism and fairness, treating all operators equally, and taking all appropriate actions where necessary”.

Questions sent to PS Clint Camilleri were unanswered by the time of publication.

The full list of questions sent to Gouder are below:

– You used to work at the Ministry. At some point in time you started working for the FMAP. At what stage did you switch roles?

– When did you stop working for the Ministry, and when did you start working for FMAP?

– When you worked in the ministry were you aware of any alleged wrongdoing from local operators and the ongoing Spanish investigations?

– Sources have said that you gave the impression that you had already started representing the tuna operators while still working at the ministry. Would you comment?

– What is exactly your role at FMAP and what is your renumeration? Was the role you occupy created specifically for you? or was there a predecessor?

– Did FMAP need to create the role over their concerns over the investigation?

– Did your ministerial experience and closeness with Minister Herrera play a key role in your appointment?

– After the allegations of Andreina Fenech Farrugia, the FMAP immediately called for her removal. Do you think this decision was rushed in view of the allegations against one of FMAP’s members? Do you think it was at all unfair?

– You said that you were in Spain following developments regarding Fenech Farrugia. Were you actually in Spain mainly to follow the ongoing investigations into your clients’ alleged wrongdoing as reported in EL Confidential?

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Julian Bonnici

Julian is the former editor of Lovin Malta and has a particular interest in politics, the environment, social issues, and human interest stories.