Guardia Civil seize illegally caught bluefin tuna in Marbella

GUARDIA CIVIL environment officers in Marbella have seized a 180-kilogram bluefin tuna fish which was allegedly caught illegally and set to be sold on the city’s market.

Police sources said three men were seen wheeling the fish from a vehicle and heading towards the town’s market.

Officers stopped them and asked to see its documentation. Bluefin tuna is a protected species and cannot be caught without permission.

Police claimed the three men had no documentation proving that the fish had been caught legally or that it was fit to be sold and eaten. It was seized and later disposed of.

The Guardia Civil said in a statement that the catching, transporting and selling of undocumented fish was “seriously detrimental” to the environment and to buyers.

Consumers have the right to know where their food is sourced, police added.

The EU and others have protected the fish which is considered an endangered species, according to the red lists of multiple organisations including Greenpeace.

The case has since been passed on to the Junta de Andalucia fishery officials in Malaga Province.