Drones take to the air as Malta tackles foreign boats targeting lampuki season
Malta has deployed surveillance drones and aircraft to monitor foreign fishing vessels during the peak lampuki season, as tensions persist over Tunisian boats targeting fish gathered beneath traditional Maltese fishing devices. The operation, running from mid-August to early September, detected 25 possible infringements, with nine cases involving Tunisian vessels later confirmed by Tunisian authorities.
New eyes in the sky operating from Malta
For the first time, a small aircraft-style drone is operating directly from Maltese soil as part of a pilot project led by the European Fisheries Control Agency. Previously, such surveillance craft deployed from Sicily or other Italian locations, slowing response times. Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Anton Refalo announced the development during the height of the lampuki season.
A light plane described by officials as a "manned drone" — equipped with 360-degree cameras and extended flight capability — also swept the Mediterranean. The aircraft's advanced imaging systems allow it to identify vessels and their activities from considerable distances.
Malta's Armed Forces already operate a range of surveillance equipment, including the IAI Heron TP unmanned aircraft for maritime security missions, and Beech King Air patrol aircraft fitted with imaging radars for border control and search-and-rescue operations. Frontex, the European Border and Coast Guard Agency, also operates Heron 1 drones from Malta for broader Mediterranean surveillance.
What fishermen face at sea
Maltese fishermen have long complained that Tunisian vessels target lampuki gathered beneath their registered fishing devices, known locally as kannizzati or rimji. These traditional floating fish aggregating devices attract the prized dolphinfish during the season that runs from mid-August to December. Fishermen report instances where not only fish but also their lines have been taken.
The friction is not new. Tensions at sea can run high when foreign vessels approach these marked fishing zones, threatening both the catch and equipment Maltese crews have deployed.
A legal knot in international waters
Most incidents involving Tunisian vessels occur in international waters beyond Malta's 25-nautical-mile fisheries management zone, making direct enforcement impossible. Malta cannot sanction Tunisian vessels unilaterally, as Tunisia is not an EU member state. Both countries belong to the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean, which sets regional fishing regulations.
Instead, Malta gathers evidence through surveillance and refers cases through EU and regional mechanisms. Tunisian authorities then investigate and take action against their own vessels. Malta has maintained direct contact with Tunisian officials and even invited Tunisian representatives aboard the patrol vessel Ocean Sentinel to observe operations.
A further complication exists: Tunisia has declared an exclusive fishing zone extending up to 75 nautical miles in some areas, delimited by the 50-metre depth contour. Malta does not recognise this claim. Malta is also working to establish an Exclusive Economic Zone under its 2021 legislation, which would extend sovereign rights over fisheries up to 200 nautical miles — but delimitation requires agreements with neighbours including Tunisia, a process that remains incomplete.
What happens now
Malta continues to present evidence at international forums. The Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture submits material, including documentation from Maltese fishermen, to advocate for action against vessels breaching regulations. Vessels found guilty of illegal fishing could be placed on international illegal-fishing lists, carrying serious commercial consequences.
Maltese MEP Thomas Bajada has pushed for expanded drone use to police fishing in international waters and strengthen enforcement of European regulations. The surveillance operation that ran through August and September represents an escalation in monitoring capacity, and such operations are expected to continue.
No diplomatic incidents over the drone surveillance itself have been reported. Malta and Tunisia appear to be managing disputes through existing regulatory channels rather than formal protests.
For Maltese fishermen, the stakes remain tangible: every lampuki season brings the hope of a profitable catch, but also the risk that vessels from across the water will take what they believe belongs elsewhere.
