Palm fronds used for lampuki fishing should be treated with an insecticide against the red palm weevil, the Government has advised.
The insect was attracted to freshly damaged fronds where it would deposit its eggs, it said in a statement.
The weevil is a borer capable of killing palm trees within months. It can fly long distances and infest other palms.
The fronds need to be cut as short as possible to minimise infective areas which are generally concentrated at the base.