Smelly sea slime spotted throughout summer isn't just turning off swimmers - it's sticking to them as well. 

The slime, believed to be caused by nearby offshore fish farms, has disgusted bathers and prompted an Environment Ministry investigation

Mr Abela could barely scrape the slime off his skin. Photo: FacebookMr Abela could barely scrape the slime off his skin. Photo: Facebook

It is also extremely sticky, as a St Paul's Bay fisherman forced to swim through a patch of slime could testify.

St Paul' Bay resident Nicolai Abela was in the area when the man came to shore. He snapped a photo of the fisherman's skin and uploaded it to Facebook along with a warning. 

"The white scum is extremely sticky & hard to remove apart from stinking of rotten fish," Mr Abela wrote in a post alongside a photo of the stubborn slime on his skin. "To be avoided at all costs since there does not seem an effective way of removing completely."

A dermatologist contacted by Times of Malta said the fatty slime could cause skin irritation and even boils.  

Swimmers who come into contact with the slime should wash it off as soon as possible using detergent rather than soap, the dermatologist said.  

The slime has been reported in previous years, but this summer season has seen "unprecedented" amounts of it appear along Malta's coastline. 

Times of Malta readers yesterday reported an unbearable stench along the St Paul's Bay and Qawra coastline, and things had not improved by this morning. 

"It's disgusting," one reader who lives in St Paul's Bay said. "It sticks to anything it touches, it's hard to get rid of, and it stinks of dead fish." 

The sludge, which many suspect is residue from baitfish used to feed farmed fish, tended to stick to ropes and swimmer's zone demarcation lines and let off a putrid smell, the reader, who asked not to be named, said. 

Fellow St Paul's Bay resident Mr Abela said locals were completely fed up with the situation and were considering organising a public protest to show their displeasure.  

"Everyone seems to be burying their heads in the sand. The local council seems disinterested and nothing has been done about it. The government says it wants to investigate. But the Sterling report came out in 2012. We already know what we need to do."

The Sterling report is a 160-page document prepared by British scientists for the Maltese government, which ignored its recommendations. The report warned the government of potential fish farm solution, adding that "difficult choices" would have to be made about the industry's future. 

Have you come across something you feel is worth reporting? Contact us on mynews@timesofmalta.com 

Sign up to our free newsletters

Get the best updates straight to your inbox:
Please select at least one mailing list.

You can unsubscribe at any time by clicking the link in the footer of our emails. We use Mailchimp as our marketing platform. By subscribing, you acknowledge that your information will be transferred to Mailchimp for processing.