The Civil Guard of the Maritime Detachment of Fuerteventura has increased surveillance on the coast of the islands, detecting in these actions on June 4, several recreational boats that were trolling at high altitude at a distance of between 4 and five miles from the southeast coast of Lanzarote, in an area where there were 15 professional tuna boats and as many recreational boats.
Once the Civil Guard became aware of these practices, it planned a monitoring and surveillance operation to control that both professional and recreational boats comply with current regulations. Therefore, on June 4, a professional tuna boat was inspected in Puerto Naos (Arrecife) during unloading operations, in addition to inspecting 10 recreational boats to which 15 administrative complaints were filed for illegally catching tuna, the main reported and detected facts being, among others; lacking a 1st class recreational fishing license, which authorizes the practice of recreational fishing from a boat, using surface trolling. The recreational boat does not have a specific authorization for tuna fishing, issued by the General Directorate of Fisheries Resources and Aquaculture of the General Secretariat of the Sea of the Ministry of Environment, and Rural and Marine Environment.
The tuna (Thunnus obesus), the object of capture in this case, is a species subject to a differentiated protection regime. For its capture or possession on board, the aforementioned authorization must be available. The specific authorization, which must be on board the boat when the activity is going to be carried out, will have a validity period of three years and its renewal must be requested at least three months before the end of its validity.
Legislation
Currently, recreational fishing in external waters is regulated in Royal Decree 347/2011, of March 11. Annex II of the aforementioned royal decree reflects the species subject to differentiated protection measures in recreational maritime fishing. Infringements of the provisions of this royal decree will be sanctioned in accordance with the provisions of Chapters I, II and IV of Title V of Law 3/2001, of March 26, on Maritime Fishing of the State. Article 100 of the aforementioned Law 3/2001, catalogs “the exercise or performance of fishing activities without having a license or the corresponding authorizations” as a serious infraction.
Possible sanctions
Article 106 of Law 3/2001 states that “Serious infractions will be sanctioned with a financial penalty of 601 to 60,000 euros.”
