Good catch in joint operation targeting illegal fishing

joint operation

The operation involved 3,162 inspectors from police, fisheries, customs, agriculture and health agencies. Image: Europol

More than 11 tons of fish, molluscs and crustaceans were seized during the operation led by Portugal’s Guarda Nacional Republicana and Spain’s Guardia Civil.

The Portuguese Guarda Nacional Republicana led a joint operation targeting illegal fishing. The action day, co-led by the Spanish Guardia Civil and the European Fisheries Control Agency and supported by Europol, Eurojust and Frontex, involved authorities from Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Italy, Malta, Portugal, Romania, Spain and Sweden. Law enforcement and fisheries control agencies took part in the operation.

The operation involved 3,162 inspectors from police, fisheries, customs, agriculture and health agencies; 260 vehicles; 189 vessels; 18 aerial assets and two explosives detection dogs.

Some 2,248 persons, 12 vehicles and 194 vessels were checked; 64 crimes detected; 185 administrative infringements and eight arrests were made during the operation

Seizures included plastic explosives, detonating caps and wick, almost 11 tons of fish, crustaceans and clams – 4.5 tons of trout, six tons of sardines, 50kg of immature fish, 48kg of bluefin tuna, 80kg of fine clams, 31kg of Norway lobsters – high-tech equipment, computers and documents, 167 illegal fishing nets and 20 other illegal tools.

Europol facilitated the information exchange and the operational coordination and provided analytical support.


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Written by

Deirdre Tynan

Deirdre Tynan is an award-winning journalist who enjoys bringing the best in news reporting to Spain’s largest English-language newspaper, Euro Weekly News. She has previously worked at The Mirror, Ireland on Sunday and for news agencies, media outlets and international organisations in America, Europe and Asia. A huge fan of British politics and newspapers, Deirdre is equally fascinated by the political scene in Madrid and Sevilla. She moved to Spain in 2018 and is based in Jaen.

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