The Civil Guard has reported two men, residents of the municipality of Tías, for four administrative infractions of the Canary Islands Fisheries Law, for capturing 20 kilograms of different types of marine species in a protected area.
It was an agent who was off duty on the beach of La Cantería, in the municipality of Haría, who observed two people in wetsuits heading north of the aforementioned beach, in an area below the cliffs towards Punta de los Fariones.
According to the Civil Guard, the agent then contacted the Seprona of the island to inform them of the situation, confirming that underwater fishing was prohibited in that place because it is within the Marine Reserve of the island of La Graciosa, and that only some fishing modalities are allowed under authorization from the Vice-Ministry of Fisheries of the Autonomous Government.
Follow-up
The Seprona notified the territorial patrol of the Main Post of Costa Teguise and the patrol boat of the Surveillance Service of the Marine Reserve of the island of La Graciosa, which inspected the area and did not find the two people on the cliffs or signaling buoys indicating that they were engaged in underwater fishing.
However, the vehicle in which the two people in question arrived was still parked near Playa de la Cantería, so the patrol waited on the coast for them to return.
Finally, around 6:00 p.m., the Civil Guard identified the two men, who were carrying all the necessary equipment for underwater fishing (wetsuits, rifles, weights, fins, etc.), and 20 kilograms of different marine species, such as octopuses and moray eels, which were later handed over to the Zonzamas environmental complex.
The agents also verified that one of the people lacked a license for underwater fishing, so they were reported for several infractions of the Fisheries Law, such as carrying out a prohibited activity in a protected area, recreational exercise of fishing activity without having the mandatory authorization, capturing more than allowed per person in recreational fishing (which is five kilograms per person per day), and the lack of regulatory signage in the exercise of fishing activity.
