In the night between 2 and 3 June the Coast Guard of Gioia Tauro scored a significant operation against illegal red tuna fishing (Thunnus Thynnus), one of the most valuable and more threatened fish species in the Mediterranean.
The blitz went off shortly after midnight in the Port of Taureana di Palmiwhere a Sicilian fishing boat, back from a fishing trip off Largo di Cetraro, was trying to land five specimens of red tuna, for a total of about 1000 kg, intended for the black market. Some chilled vans were already waiting for it on the quay: the transbord operations were underway when the military intervened.
According to what was reconstructed by the investigators, the fishing boat had already ended up under observation in the previous days. The boat, over 12 meters long, operated with a precise scheme: it sailed from palms, fished for 2-3 days in Calabrian waters and, on the return, systematically turned off the AIS (Automatic Identification System) system to evade controls.
But thanks to the satellite fishing control system (SCP), which allows the continuous tracking of the movements of the boats, the Coast Guard managed to monitor the movement of the boat, estimating its arrival and planning an intervention with land patrols and a patrol boat.
The fishing boat was intercepted while entering the port with lights off and low speed. Upon arrival of the military, the fishermen were already intent on loading the tuna on one of the vans. The seized fish, if introduced illegally on the market, would have yielded up to 50 thousand euros.
In addition to the seizure of the fish and equipment, three administrative violations were contested for the fishing commander of the fishing boat, for a total of 8 thousand euros, and the reduction of 3 points on the license, both against him and the owner’s charged. The buyers were also sanctioned with a fine of 2666 euros for possession of illegally caught fish product.
The tuna, found well preserved under ice, has been declared suitable for human consumption by the ASP veterinary service, who spoke at the headquarters of the Port Authority. The catch has been entrusted to the Callipo Group Srl, a leading company in the sector, who will take care of portion and freeze it and then allocate it to charity in the next few days to charitable associations in the area.
“This operation is the result of a scrupulous investigative activity and a perfect synergy between our land and sea units,” said the commander of the Port Authority of Porta di Gioia Tauro, captain of Freate Martino Rendina. “The protection of vulnerable fish stocks such as red tuna is one of our priorities, and we will continue the controls to counteract any form of illegal fishing without stopping”.
The commander also thanked the Callipo Group for the collaboration, underlining the importance of the network between institutions and companies in the sustainable management of marine resources.