Marsaxlokk welcomed the start of Malta’s lampuki fishing season on Sunday with a traditional Mass and blessing of fishing boats and vessels, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries said in a statement.
The ceremony, led by Canon Roderick Baldacchino, is one of the longstanding traditions of Malta’s fishing community and marks the beginning of an important season for Maltese and Gozitan fishermen.
Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Anton Refalo attended the ceremony alongside fishermen, their families, representatives of the fishing sector and members of the Marsaxlokk community.
In recent weeks, fishermen have been preparing their boats and equipment for the season, including the construction of traditional fish-aggregating devices known as kannizzati, made using palm leaves.
The traditional technique, developed by Maltese and Gozitan fishermen, is used to attract lampuki, or dorado fish, which seek the shade provided by the floating structures while remaining close to the surface of deeper waters.
The government has distributed the palm leaves required for the preparations as part of its support for the fishing sector.
The lampuki season officially opens on 15 August under European regulations based on recommendations from the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM), and runs until the end of the year.
Before the season gets underway, fishing boats and vessels are equipped with kannizzati, stones, palm leaves and ropes, which are placed at positions allocated by the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture.
Refalo said the tradition highlighted the value of Malta’s fishing community and its contribution to the economy, food security and the country’s maritime identity.
“The government will continue to remain close to the sector to ensure that this tradition remains strong and sustainable and continues to be passed on from one generation to the next,” he said.
Lampuki remains one of the most eagerly anticipated local fish products among Maltese and Gozitan families during the summer months. The annual fishing season also forms part of Malta’s culinary and cultural heritage, linking a longstanding fishing practice with the island’s food traditions.