Maltese and Gozitan fishermen are engaged in a heated verbal war with their Tunisian counterparts as they continue to steal annual lampuki catch off the coast of Gozo.

According to an article by MaltaToday, Tunisian fishermen have been plundering Gozitan fishing grounds for lampuki, protected by a 65-foot, green Tunisian vessel known as ‘Bin Laden’, which threatens to ram Maltese boats in an attempt to keep local fishermen at bay.

It has also been reported that the Tunisians are armed with machetes and Molotov cocktails making the situation all the more dangerous for fishermen and other vessels alike.

Speaking to MaltaToday, fisherman Anthony Zammit said that Tunisians departing from the port city of Sfax were fishing off the floats laid out by Maltese fishermen and were destroying them in the process of their operations.

The situation appears to be ongoing, with Tunisian fisherman continuing to plunder lampuki catch along Maltese fishing lines.

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