Every year local newspapers are quick to report an increase or decrease in lampuki (dolphin fish) catches as compared with previous years.

Every time, various reasons are given for this: climate change, biological factors, global warming, indiscriminate fishing, advanced technology, increased competition from neighbouring countries, competition from amateur fishermen with speedboats which are on the increase, and traffic activities close to the kannizzati (trellises).

All these factors may be contributing in some way to the difference in catches from one year to another. However, this may be simply a biological cycle which has been repeating itself for years on end. This, in part, may be proved by the graph which shows a pattern in catches with M-shaped curves which fluctuate considerably about every five years.

What worries me most is that the average size of the fish appears to be decreasing, and we are not allowing it enough time to gain weight.

One might consider opening the lampuki season at the beginning of September to correct this.