Malta’s favourite fish? Line-caught lampuki on the rise as traditional net fishing declines
Aquatic Resources Malta, the government agency responsible for research in the fields of fishing and aquaculture, has announced some statistics from last year’s fishing logbooks, shedding some light on how Malta’s been catching one of the island’s favourite fish – lampuki!
The season of lampuki typically falls between Santa Marija (mid-August) and the end of December. On comparing the two main methods used to catch the popular fish, namely the traditional net and line fishing, it was found that the amount caught using the net is still on a decline, as was recorded in previous years, with a total of 123 tons of lampuki pulled ashore using this method.
It would seem that line fishing, on the other hand, is gaining in popularity, with 8.36 tonnes of the fish caught by line this year – that’s over 400 kilos more than last year!
Given the lampuki’s social and economic importance across the Western and Central Mediterranean, a research programme is being carried out involving three other countries (aside from Malta) – Italy, Spain and Tunisia. Together, the countries are coordinating to assess and manage populations, ensuring everyone gets their share of the delicious fish!
Are you a lampuki fan?