Agents of the Maritime Detachment of Fuerteventura have intervened on October 28, 52,800 Kilos of hake (Merluccius merluccius) to three sports fishermen (one also did not have a fishing license) in the northwest area of Lanzarote in external waters, after an inspection of their boat in the high seas.
Hake is included in species subject to differentiated protection measures listed in Annex II of the aforementioned Royal Decree. For its fishing, it must have a specific authorization 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, at the request of the owner of the vessel.
The specific authorization, which must be on board the vessel 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.
The holder of the specific authorization must complete a declaration of catches and release and send it to the General Directorate of Fisheries Resources and Aquaculture in the first five days of each month, even when no catches have been obtained.
The maximum catch limits in recreational maritime fishing for hake in external waters is five pieces per license and day, with a maximum of 20 pieces per vessel and day, for the white tuna, bigeye tuna and hake set.
Finally, four administrative complaints were processed, three for fishing species subject to differentiated protection measures without having the corresponding authorization and a fourth one to one of them for not presenting the corresponding fishing license.
The Civil Guard recalls that it has an email address, [email protected], whose purpose is the general attention to the citizen, also serving as a channel to receive information on issues that may initiate an investigation.
Legislation
Royal Decree 347/2011, of March 11, which regulates recreational maritime fishing in external waters, in its article 23 cites that infractions 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, which in its article 96.2.C cites as a serious infraction the possession, before its first sale, of fishing species captured without the necessary authorizations or in conditions other than those established therein.
Serious infractions may be sanctioned with a fine of 301 to 60,000 euros, pursuant to article 102 of Law /2001, of March 26, on Maritime Fishing of the State, referring the Civil Guard the complaints to the competent administrative authority for the corresponding administrative sanctioning file, the General Directorate of Fisheries and Aquaculture Management (dependent on the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food).
