Top Malta Fish Catches

Malta’s fishing industry, deeply rooted in its Mediterranean heritage, has long been a vital part of the island nation’s culture and economy. The country’s top fish catches include the highly prized Bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus), which dominates export revenues, especially to Japan. Other significant species are swordfish (Xiphias gladius), dorado (locally known as lampuki), bogue, and various species of bream and mullet. Traditional fishing methods, such as the use of the iconic luzzu boats and the seasonal lampuki fishery, reflect centuries-old practices dating back to Phoenician and Roman times. While the industry has modernized, small-scale, family-run operations still prevail, and Malta’s fisheries continue to balance tradition with sustainability in the face of increasing pressures from overfishing and international competition.

Rank	Fish Species	Metric Tons
1	Atlantic chub mackerel	658
2	Common dolphinfish	519
3	Atlantic bluefin tuna	387
4	Swordfish	380
5	European sprat	111
6	Round sardinella	71
7	Albacore	50
8	Bogue	42
9	Giant red shrimp	40
10	Mediterranean horse mackerel	37
11	Silver scabbardfish	35
12	Thornback ray	32
13	Common octopus	30
14	Red porgy	28
14	Bullet tuna	28
16	Surmullet	22
16	Red mullet	22
19	Common cuttlefish	21
19	Red scorpionfish	21
19	European hake	21
21	Smooth-hound	18
22	European squid	15
22	Blackspot seabream	15
24	Rudderfish	13
25	Longnose spurdog	11
26	Deep-water rose shrimp	10
27	Wreckfish	9
27	Bluntnose sixgill shark	9
30	Axillary seabream	7
30	Picked dogfish	7
30	Greater amberjack	7
34	Little tunny(=Atl.black skipj)	6
34	Common pandora	6
34	European conger	6
34	Atlantic horse mackerel	6
34	John dory	6
39	European barracuda	5
39	White seabream	5
39	Pilotfish	5
39	Black scorpionfish	5
39	Skipjack tuna	5
39	White grouper	5
44	Mediterranean moray	4
44	Saddled seabream	4
44	Small red scorpionfish	4
44	Golden shrimp	4
50	Ling	3
50	Blue shark	3
50	Mediterranean spearfish	3
50	Mottled grouper	3

Data from FAO. 2025. Global Capture Production. In: Fisheries and Aquaculture.