Almeria tackles illegal fishing

Almeria tackles illegal fishing. During a series of risky dives officers from the Guardia Civil have removed 70 illegal fishing traps.

The Guardia Civil in Almeria located and seized a 600-metre long net line with 70 submerged poaching pots. The traps were located off the coast of Retamar in Almeria and were destroying a posidonia meadow.

The intervention was carried out by the officers on Thursday, September 30. It is believed that the traps had only been underwater for a short time. In this short time, the traps had already destroyed a large part of a colony of oceanic posidonia.

Oceanic posidonia is listed as an endangered species by the European Union. It is an aquatic plant that is ecologically important.

Illegal submerged nets often cause risks for passing boats. They also damage the animal and plant species in the ocean.

The action was carried out as part of the LIFE + Posidonia Andalucia project. The European Union launched the project and it is coordinated by the Regional Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and the Environment and the Andalucian Environment and Water Agency.

The project hopes to protect posidonia oceanica meadows in the Andalucian Mediterranean. Special emphasis has been placed on protecting meadows in the Poniente Almeriense.

Guardia Civil officers discovered and removed the traps during a series of risky dives.

As reported by La Voz de Almeria: “The investigation is still ongoing to locate the perpetrators, who face an environmental crime and heavy administrative sanctions.

“The poaching of pots on the coast can carry administrative penalties of up to 60,000 euros, under Title V of Law 3/2001, of 26 March, on State Maritime Fisheries.”

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