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A Guide To Buying Local Fish In Malta Like An Absolute Pro

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The first thing we really want to get out there is that we all should buy locally caught and in season fish. This will give fish the chance to repopulate and grow while also sending a message to suppliers and producers that we expect a certain level of sustainability in our seas. Also, we won’t risk killing off an entire species as human beings have a habit of doing.

Lovin Malta snooped around and had a small chat with fish4tomorrow to make your life a bit easier when it comes to buying fish and seafood while fooling everyone into believing that you are the ultimate fish master.

Here are some essential questions you need to be asking yourself when it comes buying local fish… and how to best go about answering them.

1. Is it fresh?

How do I know if it’s fresh imma jaħasra? Well simple; look deeply into the fish’s eyes. Yes, really. 

If they are vibrant and soulful, it’s good. Avoid glazed-over eyes — they don’t just look creepy, they’ll taste the part too.

The fish’s flesh should also be firm and supple, along with the scales. Another sign to look out for is those pesky gills. They need to have a reddish colour and should never, ever look slimy. The fish should have an intact and moist skin too, and last but most importantly, the fish should not smell terrible. Fish are supposed to smell just like the sea, and not like the carcass of a dead cow.

2. Is it any good?

When it comes to getting the most nutritious but inexpensive fish, you should definitely aim for Kavalli (Atlantic Mackerel). 

We know, we know, they do not look very appetising, but they are very rich in Omega 3 — almost as much as Salmon. 

Kavalli are also a healthy source of Vitamin D, and do not get us started on the taste. Other amazing to die for fish are the kaħli (seabream) and the vopi (bogue).

Some substitutes can be made without much of a difference in taste or texture.

A great example of this is calamari. The tuttlu is a cephalopod just like the squid, and has very few differences when it comes to taxonomy and taste. 

Tuttlu has a much cuter name than the klamar… but most importantly, it’s almost half the price. 

“If you’ve got a craving for tuna, you can always opt for a palamit (skipjack tuna),” fish4tomorrow told Lovin Malta.” Or you can satisfy your seafood pasta cravings with a pasta con le sarde (sardines).”  We vouch for that, sardines are tasty homeboys.

Inċova, kaħli and sawrell are all good for you. They are lower down in the food chain and reproduce in large numbers, meaning that they can withstand fishing pressure far better. X’inhuma champs. 

These fish also have a lower count of mercury, which is great for your physical and mental health.

Another tasty and cheap fish you can buy is the imsella (garfish). 

It’s not a vey popular fish but that also means that it’s not very expensive. People shun this pretty babe because it looks really skinny and meatless. However, it’s not expensive… and it’s not as skinny as it looks. 

3. Is it in season?

When it comes to purchasing fish according to season, you should know that the Atlantic Bluefin Tuna can be bought all year round since they are harvested in fish farms. However, they are listed as avoid on the super handy Quickfish Guide because they are often overfished and are not given a chance to repopulate — risking us not having tuna anymore. 

Other fish which are in danger of this are the ċerna (dusky grouper) and il-pixxispad (swordfish). These guys don’t do well under fishing pressure.

But seasonal fish is boss when it comes to taste, and if you ask us, August to December is the best time of year because of one thing only — lampuki and tuttlu

If you really have your fish itch and need to get good all-year round babies, you can hunt down some imsell (garfish), anchovies or vopi.

4. What about fish farms?

“Fish farming is a new and growing industry,” Fish4tomorrow told Lovin Malta. “Hatching and growing fish like awrat (gilthead seabream) and spnott (seabass) means you’re reducing pressure on the wild populations of these fish. That being said, we’ve still got a long way to go before aquaculture can be considered sustainable.”

A lot of money and energy are invested in the fish farming industry, however some improvements are still needed. 

“There are issues with what is being fed to these fish, the waste that is produced from the farms, anti-fouling used on the nets to name but a few,” fish4tomorrow told us. So maybe for now, it’s better if we stick to responsibly-caught wild fish.

Fish4tomorrow make it a point that buying local, seasonable and sustainable is what’s best, not just for the seas but for ourselves too. 

“Don’t be afraid to ask your fishmonger questions about where something was caught or how,” they told us. Also, buying local helps support local businesses and small scale fishermen, and isn’t local produce something we all get a huge boner for? 

Tag someone who needs to check this out!

READ NEXT: WATCH: Maltese Men Have A Bit Of Fun While Catching A Massive Shark

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