Dolphinfish fishery around the Maltese Islands

Abstract

The dolphinfish fishery has constituted and still constitutes an essential part of the Maltese fishing economy. This species appears seasonally in Maltese waters from May-June to December-January, with a peak in October. The fishing techniques used by the Maltese fishermen are still artisinal and concentrate on the juvenile stage of this species present in Maltese waters between August and November. Local research on this species goes back to the 1960s but has not been consistent since then, so more research is required.