Rising sea temperatures and marine heatwaves are combining to make fishing more difficult and less lucrative, leading some fishermen to abandon the industry for tourism, according to a fishing association official. Nonetheless, the combined difficulties led to a significant number of fishermen leaving the industry and switching to tourism, repurposing fishing boats for coastal tours. He explained that prolonged exposure to unusually warm water could stress fish, affecting their behaviour, appetite and general welfare. Operators were monitoring fish behaviour, feeding response and general welfare indicators, as well as sea temperatures, as a result. He warned that the warmer waters were killing native species and driving the spread of invasive marine species into Malta’s waters.