The Plant Health Directorate has issued recommendations aimed to prevent the spread of the Red Palm Weevil as palm tree fronds are cut to be used for lampuki fishing.

The Red Palm Weevil (Rhynchophorus ferrugineus) is a tiny pest which bores into palm trees and kills them within months.

The directorate said that it was important that any palm fronds to be used for fishing came from trees that were free of the red palm weevil in order to prevent the spreading of this pest.

The fronds have to be cut as short as possible so as to minimise infective areas which are generally concentrated at the base of the fronds. The base of the cut frond should be sealed with an appropriate pruning sealant. The palm trees from where the fronds are cut must then be sprayed with an appropriate insecticide. This has to be repeated for three consecutive times in order to best protect the trees.

The directorate said that ġalm fronds to be used by fishermen should be collected from a common site. In Malta, palm fronds should only be collected from ELC premises, mainly Wied Incita , while in Gozo, palm fronds should only be collected from the Afforestation Section at an approved site.

In terms of the law, pruning or any similar activity on susceptible plants should be carried out in collaboration with and under the supervision of the directorate.

The directorate can be contacted on telephone 23397100.