The Civil Guard, within the framework of the Annual Plan for Comprehensive Control of Fishing Activities (PACIAP Plan), denounced the captain of a fishing boat in Alicante for allegedly commercializing immature anchovya practice that violates regulations on the sustainability of marine species.
The investigation began several months ago, when the Nature Protection Service (SEPRONA) of the Civil Guard received information about a fishing boat allegedly selling fish from size below regulation. After corroborating the information, SEPRONA implemented detailed surveillance of the vessel.
Last Tuesday, the Monóvar patrol received a notice about a possible unloading of immature fish at the fish market. Torrevieja. When the officers arrived, the vessel under investigation had already left the port after the fish market refused to accept the merchandise because it did not comply with marketing rules. According to initial indications, the skipper of the boat headed towards the fish market of San Pedro del Pinatar, in Murcia.
Through follow-up work, officers confirmed the vessel’s docking in San Pedro del Pinatar. Suspecting that the illegal unloading had taken place at this port, the agents inspected the fish market at 3:30 p.m., in collaboration with the inspector of the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Region of Murcia.
During the inspection, a closed storage room containing seven buckets of anchovies without documentation was found. A fish market employee reported that the fish belonged to the vessel under investigation and, as it did not meet the minimum size, was intended for the production of fishmeal, which the manager of the fish market had already been informed. Sampling of the buckets showed the average was 146.7 specimens per kilogram, exceeding the permitted limit of 125 specimens per kilogram. In total, they captured 1,901 kilograms of immature anchoviesor, the largest seizure of this type of fish in the province of Alicante by the Civil Guard.
Furthermore, it was found that the captain of the boat had only presented himself to the Delegation of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food of Murcia. basic movements between portsby omitting the presence of illegal formats in its cargo. This lack of transparency suggested that it could have been sold outside of the legal market.
As a result, the catches were immobilized and deposited for destruction, due to their high perishability. Furthermore, for these events, the skipper of the boat is exposed to sanctions of up to 60,000 euros.
THE Civil Guard reiterates its commitment to ensuring the regulation of fishing to preserve marine resources, promote the balance of aquatic ecosystems in the long term and guarantee the legal marketing channel for these species.
