Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1542822
8 maltatoday | SUNDAY • 25 JANUARY 2026 NEWS Pilot project to start lampuki season earlier gets commission go-ahead THE European Commission has accepted a request by government to launch a pilot project to move the lampuki season forward. The request came after fishers reported larger lampuki caught in the early weeks of the fishing sea- son when compared to previous years. This led fishers to suspect that the fish was migrating earlier due to factors such as rising water temperatures and global warm- ing. Photos uploaded to social me- dia by Italian fishers who ille- gally caught lampuki in July also showed fish were larger when compared to the previous seasons. Speaking to Malta- Today, Parliamenta- ry Secretary Alicia Bugeja Said said she instructed Aquatic Resources Malta to carry out an inspec- tion of lampuki caught in Malta over the past 10 years. Initial analysis has shown fish caught in 2024 and 2025 were actually larger than in previous years. After consulting with the fish- ing cooperative, Għaqda Sajjieda Attivi and fishers who catch lam- puki, a request was made to Euro- pean Commissioner for Fisheries Costas Kadis for Malta to launch a pilot project. The proposed project, which has been given the green light by the commission, will explore the possibility of opening the season earlier in August. The lampuki season runs from 15 August until the end of December. When storms hinder fishers from going out to sea, Malta can apply for a derogation to extend the season, with Bugeja Said tell- ing MaltaToday such requests are normally accepted. A request by government to extend the season until the end of January 2026 has also been ac- cepted. The junior minister said the pi- lot project request was the first of its kind in the Mediterranean, and was welcomed by the commis- sioner "With regard to the possibility to start the dolphinfish fishing season earlier, any such decision must be science-based. The com- mission welcomes your proposal for a pilot project as the collec- tion of robust scientific data will be crucial for any future manage- ment decision," a letter sent to the government reads. "In addition, to ensure regional cooperation, any new data sup- porting this change of fishing season must be presented to the relevant GFCM subregional com- mittee and subsequently to the Scientific Advisory Committee for discussion and further adop- tion at GFCM Annual Session." The ministry aims to launch the pilot project ahead of the 2026 lampuki season, and Aquatic Re- sources Malta has already begun preparatory work with involved organisations and individuals. KARL AZZOPARDI kazzopardi@mediatoday.com.mt The lampuki season starts on 15 August and continues until the end of December but Malta has obtained permission to bring the season forward in a pilot project to assess whether migratory patterns have changed. Inset: Fisheries Parliamentary Secretary Alicia Bugeja Said Suq tal-Belt: Heritage watchdog objects to umbrellas instead of irregular canopies THE Superintendence for Cul- tural Heritage has objected to a new proposal by Arkadia to in- stall six large umbrellas outside Suq tal-Belt instead of the present canopies. The watchdog has warned that the structures would visually in- trude on one of Valletta's most sensitive heritage settings. How- ever, it has not ruled out a less intrusive canopy. The existing canopies are not covered by a planning permit and have been subject to an enforcement order issued six years ago. While supporting the removal of the existing canopy structures, which it described as intrusive and damaging to perceptions of the historic market, the superin- tendence said the proposed um- brellas would result in "the same level of visual intrusion" while increasing clutter in front of Suq tal-Belt and opposite the Grand- master's Palace. Arkadia's proposal foresees six umbrellas, each rising to 3.7 me- tres, to cover its outdoor dining area along the market's entire frontage. According to the Su- perintendence, such structures would inevitably impact how the building is perceived and appreci- ated as a standalone monument. However, it added that it may consider alternative solutions, including lightweight, retracta- ble canopies of an appropriate design, subject to further review, signalling a willingness to assess revised proposals that better re- spect the site's heritage. The application forms part of a long-running planning and en- forcement saga dating back to 2019, when the Planning Author- ity issued an enforcement notice against two large canopies erect- ed outside the restaurant. Ark- adia appealed the notice, and the appeal remains pending before the Environment and Planning Review Tribunal. The next sitting of the appeal is in April. Last September, the Commis- sioner for Environment and Plan- ning strongly criticised the Plan- ning Authority for allowing the structures to remain in place for six years, describing them as ille- gal and harmful to Valletta's UN- ESCO status. He ruled that the pending appeal should not delay direct action, particularly given the scale, visibility and prolonged duration of the breach. The Planning Authority had argued that a new application for umbrellas justified delaying enforcement action. However, the Commissioner dismissed this argument, noting that the appli- cation presented did not seek to sanction the illegal canopies but proposed their replacement. Arkadia has maintained that the original canopy, approved under a one-year development notifi- cation order, had to be replaced after it deteriorated and became a safety hazard. The Planning Au- thority, however, has consistently held that the replacement struc- tures were not covered by the ex- pired permit. A previous attempt in 2022 to install retractable canopies was unanimously rejected by the Planning Board and later dis- missed on appeal, with the tri- bunal ruling that the proposal would undermine the "legibility" of the Grade 1 listed market and disrupt the architectural equilib- rium of the streetscape. Reporting by James Debono The current structure in question at Suq tal-Belt