Lampuki, a seasonal fish staple in the Maltese diet, is becoming increasingly scarce and expensive, with experts pointing to climate change as one of the key factors behind the decline.
The migratory Dorado fish is currently selling for around €15 per kilo due to limited supply.
The fish was being sold for around €5 a kilo five years ago, with the price increasing to about €8 earlier this season. Experts believe there are different reasons for the dramatic decline in supply, but warming sea temperatures have a lot to answer for.
“Sea temperatures reached 30ºC at the end of July. Usually, we see those temperatures in September,” marine biologist Alan Deidun explained.
Marine animals often take hormonal cues from the water temperature. Lampuki may be maturing earlier than the norm and could be migrating through Maltese waters before the fishing season even begins.
“What leads me to believe this is that, at the start of the season in August, the lampuki fishing boats were hauling larger lampuki than usual. Now there’s almost nothing,” he added.
With climate change, Malta has no guarantee that lampuki will continue migrating through its waters
Currently, much of what is being caught are fingerlings (baby fish), which is unusual for October, he noted.
Deidun believes this year’s lampuki migration may have been months ahead of schedule.
And with climate change, the marine biologist said Malta has no guarantee that lampuki will continue migrating through its waters.
“This has already happened in other countries. In Barbados, for example, the fishing industry used to depend heavily on flying fish, but this species no longer passes through there,” he said.
Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Anton Refalo confirmed a low supply of the fish was impacting prices.
“There are many factors, but a very important one is climate change,” Refalo said.
He noted that Malta and other Mediterranean countries are feeling the effects of climate change.
“If we don’t take action on climate change, the world will suffer, and we will face serious problems,” he said. Fishing junior minister Alicia Bugeja Said, who holds a doctorate in fisheries, pointed to several potential factors contributing to this year’s low lampuki supply beyond climate change.
One possible factor, she explained, could be increased fishing efforts in Spain.
“Until a few years ago, the Spanish didn’t fish for lampuki. Now they do. Since the fish first pass through the Straits of Gibraltar, it’s possible Spain is catching a significant number before they reach Maltese waters.”
Another reason might be the growing wild tuna population, which may be preying on lampuki.
“In recent years, wild tuna populations have increased. An unintended consequence of this could be that more lampuki are being eaten,” she said.
However, Bugeja Said added it is hard to determine whether the lower catch numbers this year are part of a larger trend.
“We’ve had years where lampuki catches were low, only to see an increase the following year.”
She noted that Aquatic Resources Malta’s research unit collects annual catch data to track trends over time.
“This helps us understand the sustainability of fish populations,” she said.