All fish farm operators are inspected at least three times a week by its officers, in order to ensure that permit conditions are observed, the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) said in a statement.

Reacting to reports in sections of the media about sea slime along the Maltese coastline, ERA said all feeding procedures are being undertaken in order to reduce fat-laden thaw water from bait fish, from reaching the sea.

Any fish remnants resulting during the feeding process are collected by cleaning vessel that patrol the perimeter of the fish farms, it said.

Slime that was observed on Saturday in Marsascala was cleaned up by the Federation of Maltese Aquaculture Producers (FMAP). Other slime that was reported today turned out to be a bloom of blue green algae, ERA said.