The very first men to settle in Malta were probably already used to fishing, building their huts and temples next to the sea and owning boats, according to historian Stanley Farrugia Randon.

Dr Farrugia Randon has been involved in the preparation of the Din l-Art Helwa exhibition on Malta's fishing heritage at the historic 17th century fortified country home, Mamu Tower, near Marsascala.

Prehistoric man in Malta may have had three phases of cultural development but, at all stages, he supplemented his larder with protein sources from the surrounding sea, the historian said. Evidence of this is present in the remains found at several prehistoric sites in Malta and Gozo.

Sea shells were excavated from the prehistoric layers of the Ghar Dalam cave floor, while several similar remains were also found at Skorba, an early Neolithic village. Some of these were pierced for suspension as pendants, but a number were brought to the site to serve as food, explained the DLH council member, who has also been a volunteer for the last 12 years.

Besides being an amateur fisherman, Dr Farrugia Randon has been conducting research on the history of fishing since the age of 15 and has published various books on the subject.

Other inland sites for Early Neolithic, Late Neolithic and Bronze Age settlements, which yielded sea shells belonging to several species, included Ta' Hagrat Temples, Kordin Temples, Hagar Qim, Bahrija Settlement, Qortin l-Imdawwar (Rabat), Xemxija Tombs, Tarxien Temples, Tarxien Cremation Cemetery, Zebbug Tombs and Ggantija Temples. These sea shells represented several species, which were used as decorations for necklaces or other pendants, and temple offerings.

Dr Farrugia Randon said sea shell fishing must have been common during the prehistoric period as crab claws and fish vertebra beads used for necklaces were also excavated from the Tarxien Cemetery site.

Some examples of fish carved in stone, retrieved from various archaeological sites, may be appreciated at the National Archaeology Museum, Dr Farrugia Randon said. There is, however, no reference to the fishing techniques used. But during excavations in Borg in-Nadur, perforated stones and pottery were found, which could have been used as weights for nets.

The first bando (the form in which regulations were issued to the public in the streets) relating to the fishing industry dates back to October, 1469. During the rule of the Knights of the Order, which lasted until 1798, many bandi on the fishing industry were issued, Dr Farrugia Randon said. The majority concerned the marketing of fish by fishermen, vendors and re-vendors, as well as tariffs specifying prices of fish. Others aimed at respecting sanitary conditions and keeping order.

No regulations were issued to control the use of fishing implements, denoting that scarcity of fish was not a pressing problem, he said. In fact, sometimes the prices had to be ignored, owing to the great amounts of fish that were brought to the markets.

Between 1724 and 1784, Grand Masters Manoel De Vilhena and De Rohan issued Leggi e Costituzioni Prammaticali, some of which related to fishing. But again, these were directed at keeping order at sea and in the market space. Manoel De Vilhena also established a tariff for every marketable fish, Dr Farrugia Randon said.

The 19th century is characterised by a number of regulations prohibiting fishermen from using certain implements in specified areas, which were believed to entail undue destruction, he continued.

Research material regarding Malta's fishing industry is a major part of the exhibition and includes archives on the life of Giuseppe Despott, the first Superintendent of Fisheries. In 1919, with the submission of his report on the local fisheries, Mr Despott prepared a list of laws to be enacted.

With the foundation of the Department of Fisheries and the subsequent Fisheries Board, regulations were more consciously considered, helping to keep up good relations between the fishermen and the authorities, Dr Farrugia Randon said, adding that the most important Fishing Act was enacted in 1953.

In 1990, when the government was aiming for Malta to join the EU, the then Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister invited consultants from the Food and Agriculture Organisation to visit Malta and prepare a draft bill and regulations to help the island fit more comfortably within the EU.

Dr Farrugia Randon goes on to describe a variety of nets, what fish they are used to catch, what they consisted of and how they work. Among his detailed list is the trammel (parit), which is probably the most common of the net devices, used by fishermen both amateur and professional.

Every net has a story. The seine net (tartarun) is used to encircle a shoal of fish. The shore seine net was one of the favourite recreational activities for older fishermen, who no longer took part in the regular day-to-day commercial fishing. Since fishing with this net used to be done mostly on Sundays, the men would give half of their catch to the village priest to obtain forgiveness for the sin of working on a Sunday.

The most important type of seine net is the purse seine net, which is used in conjunction with lights in a method known as lampara fishing. The lampara is prohibited within the territorial waters of Malta, however the Prime Minister can grant a limited number of licenses for its use if it is considered necessary to ensure a sufficient supply of fish for the population of Malta, provided that it is not permitted within one mile from any shore of the Maltese Islands.

Dr Farrugia Randon points out that the tonnara, a large and expensive device designed to catch tunny, was first used on April 3, 1748, at Grand Master Pinto's expense. It is, however, not used any more in Malta. The imqass, or shellfish grab was also employed occasionally in the past by some fishermen, but it is not in use any more, owing to the lack of shellfish beds in Maltese territorial waters. The most commonly caught shellfish used to be the fan mussel, which was used as a medicine against ear aches, Dr Farrugia Randon said.

The sea urchins fork, or gaffa also used to be common until a few years ago when sea urchins could be easily found on the sea bed. In fact, some hawkers used to earn their living by selling them. Today, however, very little can be spotted next to the shore, a phenomenon usually associated with pollution, he said.

The exhibition is part of the environment and heritage NGO's 40th anniversary cultural programme. Open throughout the summer, it displays a vast collection of historic material connected to the traditional fishing industry, including old methods and techniques, tools and implements used by Malta's fishermen over the centuries, as well as a large number of photographs of life at sea and various models of old fishing boats, while illustrative panels allow the visitor an insight into the art of building these traditional seafaring craft.

The Malta Fishing Heritage Exhibition is open on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays between 9.30 a.m. and 12.30 p.m.