A University of Malta citizen science campaign dealing with non-indigenous alien fish species, is underway, and follows on from the success of the Spot the Jellyfish campaign, first launched in 2010.

The campaign is headed by Prof. Alan Deidun (Department of Geosciences, Faculty of Science), and with the co-operation of the International Ocean Institute, the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture and the Italian National Institute for Environmental Protection and Research (ISPRA) and with the collaboration of Friends of the Earth Malta.

The ultimate aim of the campaign is to monitor in the long-term any population changes of the selected alien fish species within Mediterranean waters.

It is part of an informal trans-boundary observation network on alien marine species established between Malta, Tunisia and Sicily.

Posters featuring photographs for a total of 32 fish species which have entered the Mediterranean through the Suez Canal or through the Straits of Gibraltar have been distributed to all local fishermen and SCUBA diving clubs.

The campaign organisers said that the selected 32 fish species have either been recently recorded in Maltese waters or are as yet unknown from the same waters but have been recorded from contiguous regions, such as Sicily and Tunisia.

Indications on the point of entry of each fish in the Mediterranean, whilst also identifying the toxic and the venomous species, are also shown on the poster. The poster is available for download here.

Photographs of caught or observed fish individuals, even if not included in the poster, should be sent to aliensmalta@gmail.com.

Alternatively, contact can be made over the phone on 79604109 or 22926888. For additional information please visit www.aliensmalta.eu

Permalink: Ongoing campaign for Spot the Alien Fish with the University of Malta