The Civil Guard has denounced the master of a fishing boat for allegedly marketing two tons of immature anchovy, a practice that violates the regulations of sustainability of marine species.
The master, who now faces a fine of 60,000 euros, marketed the catches in San Pedro del Pinatar after they were rejected in the port of Torrevieja.
Last Tuesday, Seprona environmental officers received a warning about a possible discharge of immature fish in the Torrevieja auction. Upon the arrival of the agents, the boat attempting to discharge the cargo had already left the port after the auction refused to accept the goods, because it did not comply with the marketing regulations. According to a witness, the boat’s skipper headed towards the fish market in San Pedro del Pinatar.
The agents travelled to San Pedro where, in collaboration with the inspector of the Fisheries and Aquaculture Service of the Region of Murcia, they were able to inspect the cargo.
During the inspection, a closed storage chamber containing seven buckets of anchovy without documentation was found. A worker reported that the fish belonged to the boat being investigated and that, as they were below the minimum size, they were intended for the production of fishmeal.
A sampling of the catch showed that the average was 146.7 specimens per kilogram, exceeding the permitted limit of 125 specimens per kilogram. In total, 1,901 kilograms of immature anchovy were seized, the largest seizure of this type of fish in the province of Alicante by the Civil Guard.
The catches were immobilized and removed for destruction. In addition, the boat’s employer will now face a fine of up to 60,000 euros.
