Pilot Phase Of Fish Fridays To Launch Next Week In Primary Schools

The Parliamentary Secretariat for Fisheries, Aquaculture and Animal Rights, together with the Ministry for Education and the Malta Food Agency, has launched a pilot phase of ‘Fish Fridays’, which will begin on 24 April in selected primary schools across Malta.

The pilot project will be implemented in four primary schools, where students will take part in short educational sessions focusing on nutrition and the benefits of fish consumption.

This will be followed by the distribution of specially prepared fish-based meals. Students will be organised into groups to ensure the sessions run efficiently and safely, while each school will operate a rotation system so that all pupils can participate.

The pilot phase is intended to assess the operational aspects of the initiative in a real school environment.

This will help determine how the programme can be expanded to additional schools in the future. Close coordination has been carried out with participating schools to address logistical requirements, including site specific needs, safety procedures and parental consent processes.

Parliamentary Secretary Alicia Bugeja Said said that the ‘Fish Fridays’ initiative is a concrete step towards encouraging a healthier culture of fish consumption among children, noting that only around 6% of children currently eat fish regularly.

She said the programme aims to promote healthy eating habits from a young age while also increasing awareness of underused fish species and supporting a wider variety of local, healthy and sustainable products.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Malta Food Agency, Brian Vella, said the initiative highlights the importance of nutrition and wellbeing, while supporting local fisheries and promoting sustainability within the sector.

The Chief Business Development Officer at the Malta Food Agency, Justin John Camilleri, said the project builds on previous successful initiatives involving milk, fruit and vegetables, and aims to increase children’s interest in fish consumption through educational activities supported by nutritionists and professional chefs.

The project will begin on 24 April and continue throughout May across various schools in Malta, serving as a foundation for future education and nutrition initiatives promoting healthy and sustainable living.

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