Seprona uncovers unlawful seafood trade at Santa Pola port

In a routine operation at the Santa Pola port, authorities from the Nature Conservation Service of the Alicante Civil Guard, known as Seprona, uncovered a concerning breach of the Fisheries at Sea Act. They intercepted a shipment totaling 31.5 kilograms of red shrimp, rock octopus and monkfish that had not yet cleared the first sale, a key step for proper market circulation and record keeping. Also found were immature octopus and monkfish, highlighting the vulnerability of juvenile catches and the potential impact on future fish stocks. Three fishing boats and one retailer were identified and fined for the violations, with penalties ranging from six hundred one to sixty thousand euros. (Civil Guard Seprona)