For the divers and general public a new short course has been announced which will give you an insight into the Coastal and Marine Habitats of the Maltese Islands. The course will be spread over two Saturday mornings, starting on 15 July 2025, and includes as well a snorkeling experience. The course will be held Read More
After a few months of refurbishment, the Spot the Alien page has been relaunched following a complete revamp! This citizen science campaign is spearheaded by local marine biologist Prof. Alan Deidun and supported by ERA, the University of Malta Oceanography Malta Research Group and the International Ocean Institute The website serves as both an informative Read More
Last summer, Sharklab-Malta carried out a set of research dives at the Marine Protected Area of Filfla with the aim of researching the population of rays and other species in the zone, building up on past research. With the assistance of volunteer local divers, they scoured the sea around Filfla to take stock of the Read More
Recently, this PDF file with pictures and hyperlinks to additional information of many forms of life found around the Maltese coastline was shared on the local Diving Instructors’ social media group. This guide, which has been put together by Australian Diving Instructor Bruno Pedreira who works for Bezz Diving is a good start for finding Read More
Over several weekends this summer, Sharklab-Malta ran the “Bombs to Batoids” project with the assistance of volunteer citizen science divers, the research team of Sharklab-Malta, Galaxy Charters and the Environment, and Resources Authority of Malta. Divers carried out circa 160 scientifically planned dives at the Filfla Marine Protected area keeping sharp eyes for different species Read More
The Faculty of Science at the University of Malta announced that an intake is in progress for a short course (1 Semester – Part-time one a week in the evenings) in Marine Biology. Persons with no University background in the past but a keen interest in the marine evironment will find this interesting and eye-opening. Read More
Sharklab-Malta are invited the general diving public to participate in an international initiative aimed at gathering vital information about sharks, skates and rays around the world by utilizing citizen science, whilst raising conservation awareness about the importance of these creatures in our oceans. We are emailing you to raise awareness of an event called the Read More
Ambjent Malta is advertising free snorkel tours open for adults. Details below In English: Join us for an educational snorkeling tour to discover the diverse marine habitats in our Marine Protected Areas at Golden Bay and Riviera.This activity is free of charge and open for all the family members above the age of 18 years. Read More
Transport Malta has recently announced Local Notice to Mariners number 017 of 2024. The annual notice states that sightings of Dolphins, Whales, Turtles, Sharks, Rays, Jellyfish blooms and other alien species seen or caught during fishing may be reported to Professor Adriana Vella of the University of Malta, whose contact details are published on the Read More
Local diver Victor Micallef recently shared the following video with some information about the locally occurring Electric Ray. Let’s just say it’s a stunner 🙂 Thanks to Victor for sharing as per below.
The Department of Biology at the University of Malta is organising a short evening course starting in March 2024 titled Topics in Marine Biology. The course, spread over three months, gives an insight for the curious divers and general public about different facets of the marine environment around us. Highly recommended for those whose careers Read More
An article by Professor Alan Deidun published recently on Timesofmalta.com highlights the emerging awareness of the detrimental effects of underwater noise on marine ecosystems, particularly low-frequency noises from ships in Malta. However, research is still in its early stages, lacking essential data on continuous underwater noise. This deficiency hampers compliance with European agreements, such as Read More
Professor Alan Deidun recently shared on social media a photo and sighting reported by local diving instructor Lewis Mark Sell of a beautiful and unusual Sea Slug – Tethys fimbriae, which according to Prof. Deidun is a native species of the Mediterranean and the eastern Atlantic Ocean. More information about this beautiful creature from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tethys_fimbria
The below picture was snapped at the Cirkewwa Marine Park on the 1st day of the year, and portrays a Moon Jellyfish (Aurelia Sp.), an infrequent type of jellyfish for our waters. More species information & opportunity to file reports for sightings of such species at www.ocean.mt
Earlier this summer, the Government announced that a two-year moratorium was put into effect on the exploitation of Sea Urchins, citing that a study indicated that the reduction in numbers required this measure. Divinginfo.mt asked the Environmental Resources Authority for details of this study so that it is shared with divers as well as the Read More
This summer, Ambjent Malta in collaboration with the Environmental Resources Authority installed various information boards around our coast in the vicinity of Marine Protected Areas. Two of these, covering protecting areas at Ramla l-Hamra and Comino are the below. The boards provide general information about Malta’s Marine Protected areas, QR codes to obtain more information Read More
In a sponsored article on Timesofmalta.com, ERA provides information about the importance of sea urchins within the local marine environment and encourages the public to follow the two year moratorium announced two months ago. Sea urchins have a pivotal role in maintaining a balance and improving the overall health of our marine ecosystems by keeping Read More
Timesofmalta.com reports that a new project named Poseidon is starting off with the aim to protect Posidonia oceanica and reforesting. While happily swimming in a Maltese beach this summer, you may occasionally feel soft seagrass stroking your feet. Likely, you have encountered something that is saving our planet: Posidonia oceanica, known locally as ‘alka’ and also Read More
Post by Alan Deidun on Facebook on the 29/08/2023 The perfect predator….shoals of the largest barracuda species in the Mediterranean….the European barracuda (Sphyraena sphyraena, ‘lizz’ in native Maltese), whose shoals can be 200 strong…this species reproduces in late spring, with a single female lying up to 300,000 eggs…the body is perfectly streamlined for fast speeds Read More
Remora are infrequently sighted along the Maltese coastline, but their presence normally is understood to mean that some bigger fish were passing by. The fish has a curious habit of using the suckers over its head to stick itself to larger fish, and sometimes even attempts to stick with divers 🙂 Nice picture of a Read More
Post by professor Alan Deidun on Facebook on the 28/08/2023
Post by Professor Alan Deidun on Facebook on the 26/08/2023
Post by Professor Alan Deidun on Facebook on the 23/08/2023
Post by Professor Alan Deidun on Facebook on the 21/08/2023
Post by Professor Alan Deidun on Facebook on the 18/08/2023
Book by Stanley Farrugia Randon and Robert Micallef From: https://bdlbooks.com/product/popular-fish-in-the-mediterranean-sea/
Book by Stanley Faarrugia Randon and Robert Micallef From BDL books: https://bdlbooks.com/product/other-fish-in-the-mediterranean-sea/
Book by Rio Sammut From: https://maltaonlinebookshop.com/product/mediterranean-sea-fishes-central-region/ Classification . nomenclature characteristics . habits central information From Malta Online Bookshop description
Book by Stanley Farrugia Randon From BDL books: https://bdlbooks.com/product/molluscs-of-the-mediterranean-sea/
Book by C. Cachia, C. Mifsud, P.M. Sammut From: https://bdlbooks.com/product/the-marine-shelled-mollusca-of-the-maltese-islands/
Book by Stanley Farrugia Randon with the help of Marine Biologist Prof. Alan Deidun From https://bdlbooks.com/product/marine-biodiversity-in-the-mediterranean/ We have all heard the phrase ‘under the sea there is another world’. This is uncannily true, with life starting in the water and evolving into a myriad of forms which still amaze us with their diversity and perfection Read More
A creature out of this world…the slender snipe eel..Nemichthys scolopaceus…a deep-water species recently caught in Maltese waters….thanks to Clayton Carabott for the photo…. #oceanographymalta#oceanography#marinebiologylife#marinebiodiversity#marinebiologist#marineecology#marinecology#fish@ioihq Alan Deidun in Facebook Post
This moray eel does not look so pale because it got scared when it saw you, but rather because it’s a distant cousin from colder waters! Thanks to Alan Deidun for sharing the information in a FB post! Look at those fangs! The fangtooth moray (Enchelycore anatina), a species originally native of the north-east Atlantic Read More
One of the beautiful creatures that many of us miss on our dives. Berthella ocellata, a sea slug that is a close relative to the nudibranch. Thanks belowesealevel.mt for sharing. Visit their website at www.belowsealevel.mt or FB page for some other great pictures of marine life around the islands.
We stumbled upon this informative article about Neptune Grass by Friends of the Earth Malta. Many of us divers may look at it as uninteresting and just some grass, but it’s something altogether different and important. Next time you visit a beach along the Mediterranean coast with Posidonia leaves washed ashore take some time to Read More
The Malta Independent recently announced that a set of stamps portraying Marine Life is being issued by the local postal operator. The Mediterranean Sea is home to a stunning variety of marine life. To encourage the preservation of our natural environment and the protection of unique marine fauna, MaltaPost introduces a set of five stamps Read More
Divers last Sunday on a boat dive at Dawra tas-Sanap, south east of Gozo came across the images we are showing you here. A small piece of trammel net (roughly less than the size of a garage door) seems to have been torn off by a rock, probably due to fishing very close to the Read More
Impressive video shared by DiveSystems this afternoon of a Mola Mola right next to the super-popular wreck of the Tug Boat Rozi at roughly 33m depth at the Cirkewwa Marine Park. The video, shared this morning, is picture perfect and shows a relaxed Mola Mola (also known as Sunfish), which apparently was curious. Amazing footage! Read More
The mermaid’s wineglass….one of the largest single-celled organisms around! The scientific name of this miniature umbrella, encountered in 1 or 2m of water, is Acetabularia acetabulum, with ‘acetabulum’ representing the Greek word for a shallow plate used for the dipping of bread…. A post by Alan Deidun on Facebook on the 19/07/2023
An indicator of healthy waters…..prairies of the brown algal group Cystoseira, which are sensitive to pollution and some of which are endemic to the Mediterranean Sea…. Posted by Alan Deidun on 17/07/2023 on Facebook
An armoured tank underwater…..the Mediterranean slipper lobster (Scyllarides latus….xkall in Maltese)….this clumsy species makes up for the lack of claws, normally found in lobsters, through its thick body armour…it generally prefers caves and shaded overhangs during the day and it is frequently poached, unfortunately….photo courtesy to colleague Alessio Marrone…. Post by Alan Deidun on Facebook
It’s box jellyfish season….this species luckily is far LESS dangerous than its renowned cousin, the sea wasp (Australian box jellyfish), prefers yacht marina and harbour areas, is mostly visible at night and has relatively good eyesight…best treatment for its stings is vinegar…..thanks to Kersten for the video, taken a few days ago…..Spot the Jellyfish campaign…. Read More
Where’s your shell buddy? This is a nudibranch, a mollusc with no shell whose name literally stands for ‘naked gills’……these flamboyant species are favourites for underwater photography….this could potentially be Fjordia lineata, although caution is advised given the difficulty in pinning down the exact species for this group…photo courtesy of colleague Alessio Marrone… Post by Read More
Grumpy old Sam…..this is a fine specimen of red scorpionfish (Scorpaena scrofa), fully decked in its camouflage suite….known as cippullazza in Maltese and, despite its venomous spines, is a highly-prized fish in local restaurants….photo courtesy of colleague Alessio Marrone Post by Alan Deidun on Facebook
The Government announced through a press release by the DOI that Sea Urchin harvesting is now subject to a two-year moratorium. As of today, Friday 7th July, a two-year moratorium on sea urchin collection will come into effect The Government has launched two joint initiatives in an effort to replenish the sea urchin’s population. Sea Read More
Serpentine arms for walking around….this is a brittle star, a close relative of Starfish and sea urchins which uses its flexible arms to move around….it can lose most of its arms and can re-grow all of them as.long as it still has one left…..nocturnal predators….photo courtesy of colleague Alessio Marrone Post by Alan Deidun on Read More
Loggerhead turtle encounter off the Maltese Islands….one of the 2 marine turtle species known to nest on Mediterranean beaches….thanks to Gabriel Bugelli for the great videos! Post by Alan Deidun on Facebook
Dolphins ahoy! Up and close with these graceful creatures in the south Comino Channel (Maltese Islands, central Mediterranean) during our annual Oceanography Masters bootcamp…thanks to Sarah Abela, Beatrice Greiner and Dr. Adam Gauci for the videos…..stop thinking about it! Join next year’s MSc in Applied Oceanography (one-year, starting from next October)! Post by Alan Deidun Read More
TVM provides a good article and footage of the 9 Nursehound Sharks release that was occurred last Saturday, which although it had a good aim, it also resulted in a bit of hiccup for the Gozo Ferries. Well done Sharklab and MNA for the release of these sharks! Snorkelers & divers, for next time, let’s Read More
This Jellyfish surely knows its way about…..the compass Jellyfish….a rare visitor to Maltese waters and kicking a nasty punch (as its a close relative of the mauve stinger)…..thanks to Philip Spiteri for the great photos…..Spot the Jellyfish campaign Post by Alan Deidun on Facebook
A turtle nest was discovered this morning at Ramla l-Ħamra in Gozo, the largest sandy beach in Gozo and a site where practically on a yearly basis, nests are discovered. Keep an eye out dear divers whilst out and around, report any sighting to Nature Trust (and if you have a nice pic, we’re happy Read More
Victor Micallef is a local diver with a keen interest in photography but also marine biology. Over the last year or so, he published on Facebook a nice set of curiosities about different species that inhabit Maltese waters and also from further afar. We collect them below. Victor also has an interesting blog called My Read More
What started off as another shark release of sharks hatched from dead shark’s eggs, a project by Sharklab and the Malta National Aquarium that you can read about here, ended up in a bit of controversy today at Cirkewwa. Whilst originally the release was meant to be carried out at the South Quay in Cirkewwa, Read More
One can never be too cautious….stalked eyes and long antennae to sense and ‘taste’ one’s surroundings…..this hermit crab is always on the lookout…great photo by colleague Alessio Marrone Post by Alan Deidun on Facebook
Marine Biologist Alan Deidun shared this picture of a Sawback Angel Shark who was caught in Maltese waters as bycatch. It was nice to hear from Prof. Deidun that the fisherman involved has released it back alive! He also shared some interesting information, including a reminder that it is a proected and endangered species! A Read More
The lesser amberjack (Cervjola tal-faxxi; Seriola fasciata), a close relative of the amberjack (accjola) and native of the west Atlantic (Caribbean sea, etc)……the species was first recorded in Maltese waters almost 20 years ago and it frequents lampuki floats…thanks to Gabriel Bugelli for the video! Spot the Alien Fish campaign….. Post by Alan Deidun on Read More
Absolutely lovely sighting, seeing these creatures so close to one of the best diving sites around our islands, the Um el Faroud artificial reef off Wied iz-Zurrieq, l/o Qrendi. Video by ABC Diving posted on Facebook here
The above picture and post explains it all. Seahorses getting decimated by indiscriminate anchoring. Mgarr ix-Xini needs either a ban on anchoring or fixed moorings to protect seahorses, which unlike fish, are not fast swimmers and cannot avoid being trampled by anchors and chains. The Conservation objectives and measures for Malta’s marine Natura 2000 sites Read More
Over the last few years, especially pre-pandemic, divers’ representatives and other stakeholders were consulted on various instances with regard to the establishment of Conservation objectives and measures for Malta’s marine Natura 2000 sites (in short: MPA’s). A draft had been even presented back in 2021. Back in January 2023 (or February 2023 as the filename Read More
Join Clare and the AZAD team as they dive under the sea near Filfla, the Maltese archipelago’s smallest island. Together they find the many types of fish that form part of the island’s underwater ecosystem and biodiversity.
From https://www.independent.com.mt/articles/2023-05-22/local-news/Malta-increases-its-Marine-Protected-Areas-to-18-6736252076 The 15th National Focal Points Meeting of the UN Protocol, focusing on Specially Protected Areas and Biological Diversity in the Mediterranean, is taking place in Malta. Malta is implementing different actions to safeguard its marine protected area network, which covers 4,100 km2 of Mediterranean waters, 13 times the size of the country’s land Read More
From Article by the Malta Independent The theme set this year for the international day for biodiversity is “From Agreement to Action: Build Back Biodiversity,” the University of Malta has said. This is a theme that perfectly fits the target of the SEA MARVEL project to save, enhance, admire marine versatile life in the central Read More
At this time of the year (spring to summer), it’s the peak octopus mating season. Due to this, and to ensure viable stocks for both fishing and sustaining the marine environment, it is ideal if octopus are undisturbed as much as possible. Especially the ones that might be in their holes tending to their eggs! Read More
Raniero’s Adventures shared the below post on Facebook with a sighting of the Moon Jellyfish, as confirmed as well by Marine Biologist Prof. Alan Deidun in comments to the post. Have you ever seen one yourself? Prof. Deidun also gave more information on the species, highlighting that the species is pretty much innocuous too. Thanks Read More
It’s always great when you find a new species to you. A headshield sea slug, Aglaja tricolorata.These live on a sandy bottom and borrow into the sand. They grow to 40mm in length and have a very fine “tail” which can be up to twice their body length. Although called a tricolor, they are always Read More
Professor Alan Deidun shared yet another unusual Jellyfish, courtesy of a report by Andrew Zammit. This one doesn’t rust but it stilll stings badly – approach with caution!
Interested in learning more about the Corallo Project and seeing Virtual Reality, Robots, Nature & Science come together? Professor Alan Deidun announced that a stand about the project is setup at the Greenfest in St. George Square, Valletta until next Sunday 7 May. Maybe time to see some greenery meet also the blue!
Professor Alan Deidun in this interview on Malta Daily talks about ongoing research to find uses for Jellyfish
An amazing sighting shared by Techwise Malta via Facebook – a beautiful encounter with Devil Rays near the JU88 Wreck. Sometimes those long decompression stops can be a wonder in themselves… click on the image to see. Watch the video here: https://www.facebook.com/reel/1281015769459509
Keep your eyes peeled this summer, for the LIONFISH! The Spot the Alien Fish competition is still on, as is our reward! We are insisting on the need of this early warning system since the lionfish is a highly INVASIVE ALIEN SPECIES (IAS) and hence it’s numbers need to be managed so as to mitigate Read More
Recently, divinginfo.mt attended a very interesting online session with Ms Patrizia Patti, who apart from giving an introduction to herself and other business ventures, which assist in marine research activity, also announced the launch of an in-depth course about dolphins. Dolphin Academy is a six-week course to learn more about dolphins and whales of the Read More
From TimesofMalta.com Read more at timesofmalta.com
It was an environmentally themed last week at ATLAM Sub-Aqua Club as part of the celebrations for Earth Day on the 23 of April 2023 On Thursday 20 April an interesting presentation was held at ATLAM Sub-Aqua Club in Bahar ic-Caghaq in collaboration with Zibel and Mr Ede Kossari Tarnik, presenting a ongoing research project Read More
In a post on Facebook, Marine Biologist Alan Deidun anounced that the Spot the Jellyfish campaign website is currently offline. Until this is fixed, you can send your sightings reports through the campaign’s Facebook Page, by email to Prof. Deidun as per below or via SMS/Whatsapp on 79604109
The Malta Airport Foundation has launched its second video about wrecks around the Maltese Islands, the HMS Maori. With a bit of history and marine biology aspects, it’s an interesting short introduction to the wreck which has introduced many divers to wreck diving. The Malta Airport Foundation had also sponsored the production of the first Read More
Marine Biologist Professor Alan Deidun recently shared the below Facebook post & picture of a beached Jawless Sea Lamprey – definitely not a top model for underwater photographers! Thanks for sharing Alan! Always sharing interesting stuff! More information on Wikipedia here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_lamprey
They are masters of camouflage, but also unfortunately very rare and an endangered species even though protected by national legislation! The SeaHorse Trust: Project Malta has shared the below sighting, the first for 2023. Remember the cardinal rules for Seahorse sightings: don’t get too close, no lights or strobes, if it’s turning its back to Read More
Article by MaltaToday Informal discussions are still underway on the identification of a transboundary marine protected area in international waters between Italy, Malta and Tunisia, a spokesperson for Environment Minister Miriam Dalli has told MaltaToday. Italy’s Maritime Spatial Plan directly refers to the identification of a marine protected area between Italy, Malta and Tunisia in Read More
Re-sharing from University of Malta Newspoint A major work on Maltese ichthyology has just been published in the prominent online journal Diversity by five members of the Department of Biology – Prof. Joseph A. Borg, David Dandria, Dr Julian Evans, Dr Leyla Knittweis and Prof. Patrick J. Schembri. Entitled “A Critical Checklist of the Marine Read More
Transport Malta issued Local Notice to Mariners 18 of 2023 reminding that the Conservation Biology Research Group at the University of Malta is interesting in hearing from you if you see any of the above. Contact details are listed in the Notice to Mariners as reproduced below, but you may also report through the online Read More
From University of Malta Newspoint A new fish species has been recorded in Malta for the first time. The Marbled Goby Pomatoschistus marmoratus (Risso, 1810) is a species of fish that lives on sand bottoms, from very shallow inshore water down to about 20m. It has been recorded along the coasts of most of the Mediterranean. In 2022, Read More
From LovinMalta Heaps of huge jellyfish were spotted in Comino and all around Malta yesterday, meaning the annual mass spawning arrived much earlier than expected. ”Seems that the annual mauve stinger (Pelagia noctiluca) mass spawning (release of eggs) is in full swing already this year, courtesy of the calm weather we have had over the Read More
From University of Malta Scientific data about the molecular genetics of newly recorded algae from Maltese coastal waters have just been published in Cryptogamie Algologie, one of the scientific journals of the French National Museum of Natural History (Muséum National Histoire Naturelle -MNHN). The paper, titled ‘Ulva L. biodiversity in the central Mediterranean Sea: cryptic species and Read More
Timesofmalta.com reports that Oceanography experts are encouraging people to eat an alien species of shrimp that has seen an increase in population over the past five years. Prof. Alan Deidun took to Facebook on Monday with photos of the Red Sea mantis shrimp, a crustacean native to tropical waters first caught in Maltese waters five Read More
The University of Malta reported that the Interreg Italia-Malta SEA MARVEL project is sharing its research photographic outputs in a unique educational photographic exhibition for the benefit of Maltese schools. St Theresa College Middle School, Ta’ Paris, hosted the SEA MARVEL Workshop and the launching of this roving educational marine biodiversity and natura 2000 sites Read More
Timesofmalta.com reports that scientists have discovered that marine life thought to be rare or on the verge of extinction is now thriving on and around ship and plane wrecks at the bottom of the sea around the island. Several species of fishes, lobsters, sponges, corals and sea urchins have been considered rare since British rule Read More
LovinMalta reports that fishermen have spotted a Shark (potentially a Mako Shark) off Delimara Bay, Marsaxlokk, in the south of Malta. You may watch the video on Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Ck0MGMHDg5i/?utm_source=ig_embed&ig_rid=b4f321ce-3603-420c-bb6d-6a2a1537f255 Thanks to the fishermen for spotting it and sharing the video!
TVMNews.mt shared a video of Fishermen saving a Dolphin from certain death, after it had gotten itself entangled in the ropes of fishing markers. The article (in Maltese), reports that two hobby fishermen saw the dolphin struggling at the surface outside of Mellieha Bay after it got entangled in the ropes, and they swiftly went Read More
It is well known that these islands have a sizeable group of dedicated individuals who practice spearfishing. This website is not at all against such practices, within the limits of the law. Spearfishing in fact, can be practiced in most areas of the Maltese Islands, except in conservation zones few other restricted areas. There are Read More
NGO Żibel gets the green light to its Sikka Project – This project will see Żibel create 3D PRINTED artificial reefs into Maltese waters in order to regenerate and support the local marine ecosystem.
Transport Malta issued Notice to Mariners 192 of 2022, in which a code of conduct issued by the Conservation Biology Research Group of the University of Malta on how to approach Cetaceans and Turles is brought to the attention of all mariners and the public.
Timesofmalta.com reports that the MAARES project, co-funded by the MCST Space Fund Programme and Malta’s Ministry for the Environment, Energy and Enterprise (MEEE), has started to deliver its first tangible results one year into its implementation. Through a series of SCUBA dives within Posidonia oceanica seagrass meadows in shallow waters within a number of local Read More
The below is a copy of a video collated by the Calypso Sub-Aqua Club and presented at the Science in the City festival in September 2022 as part of an exhibition about diving in Maltese waters. But if you want a fish ID guide, we can recommed FishID+ Malta by Bezz Diving and Bruno Pedreira Read More
The University of Malta announced that a new fish for the Mediterranean – the white unicorn Naso annulatus – has been caught in Maltese waters and reported through the Spot the Alien Fish Campaign, a national citizen science campaign coordinated by Prof. Alan Deidun, Dr. Adam Gauci, Mr. Johann Galdies and Mr. Martin Galea De Read More
theShiftnews reports that initial reactions from environmental organisations to the National Strategy for the Environment (NSE) warn that without legally-binding targets and efforts to improve law enforcement, the exercise will result in nothing more than greenwashing. The consultation document published by the government on 7 Sept focuses on eight strategic goals related to “Clean Air, Read More
Timesofmalta.com reports that cleaner air quality, zero waste, thriving biodiversity, flourishing seas – these are among the goals Malta has to reach by 2050 according to the National Strategy for the Environment 2050 launched for public consultation on Wednesday. The strategy builds on eight strategic goals, which tackle traditional environmental facets while focusing on key Read More
Timesofmalta.com reports about the winners of the Malta edition of Wiki Loves Earth, the world’s largest nature photography competition, which included winning entries from UW Photographers Victor Micallef, Veronica Busuttil and Diego Delso. All 15 local winners are now in the running to be crowned among the best nature photographs taken in the world this year. The Read More
From The Malta Independent A new focus on innovative ways of reaching real sustainability and effective management to safeguard marine biodiversity is urgently needed, University of Malta Conservation biologist professor Adriana Vella said. The degradation of the Maltese seas and degraded marine life has been felt over the years, with the increase in sea pollution Read More
From timesofmalta.com A rare and endangered species of stingray has been spotted in Maltese waters. The bull ray or Aetomylaeus bovinus was spotted by free diver Glorianne Sciberras who shared footage of the creature skimming along the sandy bottom of a Maltese bay during a night dive. The bull ray can usually be distinguished from Read More
From the Malta Independent Exploratory workshops are being held to investigate the innovative idea of using Underwater Cultural Heritage (UCH) sites to study and survey marine litter. These workshops are being funded by Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway through the EEA Grants. The litter that is seen floating on the surface of the ocean only accounts Read More
Isn’t the sea boiling enough at the moment for you to make tea with it? From Lovinmalta The first-ever recorded marine heatwave is currently hitting the central Mediterranean sea, as part of the ongoing effects of climate change. What is being described as “exceptional”, the marine heatwave has led to surface temperatures being five degrees Read More
From LovinMalta and Żibel Facebook Page NGO Żibel has once again outdone itself, with its members now recovering a whopping 150-metre ghost net from Malta’s waters. The ghost net, which was lifted up from the Ċirkewwa area, was found to have a number of marine animals attached to it, most of which were dead. The Read More
From TimesofMalta In an opinion article on the Times of Malta, recently apppinted Parliamentary Secretary Alicia Bugeja Said announces the setting up of a phone line to report lost nets, which are then reclaimed by NGO Zibel. Read more Times of Malta
Nature Trust Wildlife Rescue Team wishes to thank Darshton and Andrew, who whilst on a fishing boat found a turtle with hook and line in mouth this morning. We wish to thank them immensely for keeping the turtle safe whilst bringing it in, and for not trying to remove the fishing line themselves. The juvenile, Read More
From Times of Malta Articles about various research studies recently conducted in Malta on themes ranging from mathematics and medicine to economics and social sciences, are included in the latest edition of Xjenza Online, the Malta Chamber of Scientists’ science journal, which was recently published. In one research project, researchers from the Aquaculture Directorate at Read More
From Prof. Alan Deidun’s Facebook Post The cigar jellyfish (Olindias phosphorica) makes its first appearance this summer……spotted at Ghadira….the species inflicts a mild sting only, which is best treated with vinegar in this case (consult page 5 of our online jellyfish sting treatment booklet – https://oceania.research.um.edu.mt/jell…/docs/firstaid.pdf); besides Ghadira, the species is also common in bays Read More
From Times of Malta A 20-year-old turtle was released back into the sea in Golden Bay on Friday morning following ten months of medical treatment after it was found with a fishing hook stuck in its mouth and a fishing line trapped in its stomach. Yvonne, an adult male loggerhead turtle, was rescued by a Read More
Information from Malta Online Bookshop and University of Malta Fishes and Other Marine Animals of the Maltese Islands has just been published by BDL. The book illustrates and discusses a selection of the species of fishes and marine invertebrates that are likely to be encountered by nearshore snorkelers and beachcombers. It is written in non-technical language Read More
Professor Joseph Borg is an associate professor at the University of Malta specialising in the area of Marine Biology. During this podcast we discuss Marine bio-diversity, climate change, the Maltese marine ecosystem, sharks and Malta’s jellyfish problem!
Post and Video shared by Professor Alan Deidun on Facebook. “TIME TO WATCH! The CORALLO project….this is who we are and what we are trying to achieve……Championing the work of some of our best ocean ambassadors…….so that they can inspire others……Mark Galea Pace, Nikki Muscat, Henry Copperstone, Joe Borg, Patrizia Patti……..well done to Xavier Negreira Read More
During our dives and whilst travelling from site to site, you may see some interesting marine life which is also interesting for academic researchers. We include below some information as to who is interested in getting to know about some special marine life. Alternatively, if you can’t choose, or wish the sighting to be shared Read More
From LovinMalta With the summer season well underway, dolphin sightings, particularly of the bottlenose species, are becoming extremely common in Maltese waters. With that being said, many do not seem to be aware of the present code of conduct that should be obeyed when encountering wild dolphins, especially when on boats or jet skis. Lovin Read More
From Maltatoday There are over 300 fish species and endless varieties of other marine species inhabiting the Central Mediterranean region, and nature enabled those organisms to develop mechanisms that aid in their survival and evolution, to catch food and defend themselves against predators. Dr David James Sammut, author of a two-part article ‘Dangerous creatures of Read More
From Facebook SeaHorse Trust Page MALTA DIVERS- we need your help! There isn’t much data on seahorse populations in the waters of the Maltese archipelago and we need your help to start to collate and monitor seahorse populations in these beautiful waters. We’d like to get a better idea of the seahorse population in Malta, Read More
From Times of Malta A recent appeal by the President of the Republic for better and higher protection of our environment triggered my memory and spurred me to share publicly for the first time a proposal I had made, after months of meticulous research, to the Nationalist Party’s parliamentary group repeatedly since 2019 up until Read More
From Times of Malta Cisk Lager is a proud supporter of Coast is Clear, an all-year round clean-up campaign spearheaded by ex-waterpolo player Mark Galea Pace. “The main aim of Coast is Clear is to clear our country of the litter. However, the second aim is to raise awareness through social media and to grab Read More
From TimesofMalta Children, parents, and divers all headed up to Ċirkewwa to watch as eight baby sharks were released into the Mediterranean sea on Saturday morning. The release was organised by NGO Sharklab Malta and the Malta National Aquarium. Today’s release marks Sharklab-Malta’s 350th successful shark release and the first public release event in the Read More
From TVM News By next year people will have a greater understanding of what’s in the sea around us and why it’s important that we conserve it. This is possible thanks to the Corallo project which among other things will create a new attraction in museums using technology to make both Maltese and tourists more Read More
From the Times of Malta Turning jellyfish into a delicacy is one of the most effective ways to control exploding jellyfish invasions in the Mediterranean, according to scientists. As jellyfish species bloom exponentially due to overfishing and climate change, scientists and a team of Michelin-star chefs around the world are working to put jellyfish soups, Read More
From Maltatoday An unexpected number of jellyfish in Maltese waters over the past few weeks was caused by the fact that the sea temperature went down to 14.6°C during the first two weeks of March, marine biologist Alan Deidun told MaltaToday. Temperature changes in the sea affect the development of many species, including that of Read More
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From Times of Malta Scuba divers who have been visiting the island’s underwater dive sites for decades are noticing a dramatic decline in fish populations. Seasoned divers who have been inside every marine cave for many years say today’s underwater life is nowhere as glorious as it used to be. “I have a Dutch friend Read More
From The Malta Independent We have been seeing more jellyfish in Malta’s waters lately because the sea’s temperature went down to 14.6 degrees in the first two weeks of March, said Director of the International Ocean Institute – Malta Training Centre Professor Alan Deidun. Deidun explained to The Malta Independent how such temperature changes affect Read More