The Civil Guard of the Maritime Detachment of Fuerteventura proceeded on February 19 to report a professional vessel, seizing a prohibited fishing gear, specifically a trammel net, in waters of Lanzarote.
The events occurred around 12:30 hours, in the area surrounding Cabo Ancones, northeast of the island, when agents located and inspected a professional vessel that had been previously detected practicing fishing with trammel net, and in which there were two fishermen.
Once the vessel was inspected, they verified that it carried a trammel net of about 60 meters and different kinds of fish. In this regard, the Civil Guard recalls that the Canary Islands Fisheries Law prohibits the use of this gear in the waters of Lanzarote, so the vessel was administratively reported for the commission of an alleged serious infraction, which could carry economic sanctions of up to 60,000 euros.
"The Civil Guard, among its different functions of surveillance of Spanish territorial waters, conservation of nature and the environment, control and inspection of fisheries and sports boats, carries out surveillance and control of the coastline, resulting in actions such as this, which ensure compliance with the laws that guarantee responsible fishing," they state in a statement. In addition, from the Benemérita they explain that they are reinforcing surveillance in Lanzarote, having been "alerted for some time by anonymous citizens concerned about the increase in this type of practices on the island."
The trammel net
The trammel net is a fishing gear fixed to the bottom of rectangular shape, consisting of one or more pieces joined together. Each piece is formed by three overlapping net cloths, which are armed together between two ropes.
Fishing with trammel net is based on the fact that the fish do not perceive the net, so when they stumble upon it they push the thick cloth forming bags from which they can no longer escape.
"In the territory of the Canary Archipelago its use is totally prohibited and is only authorized in certain areas," they recall from the Civil Guard.
