Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain - May 4, 2024

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Members of the Guardia Civil's Maritime Service in Santa Cruz de Tenerife have made a significant discovery north of Puerto de Tazacorte on the island of La Palma. They located several buoys lacking proper identification plates, breaching regulations requiring fishing vessels to display the corresponding identification details (such as registration numbers and vessel lists).

Upon inspection, the agents found the nets to be in violation of established fishing regulations. The nets, spanning 400 meters and of the "Cazonal" type, were set at a depth of less than 10 meters, falling short of the authorized depth limit. Furthermore, the use of such nets is permitted only during specific periods and in designated areas, both of which were disregarded in this instance.

During the retrieval of the nets from the sea, the agents discovered various trapped fish species, including samas, viejas, and sargos, weighing a total of 17.5 kg. They promptly released the live fish back into the ocean and handed over the fishing gear to the Directorate General of Fisheries of the Government of the Canary Islands for safekeeping at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries facilities.

Following this, the agents conducted further sweeps of the area to ensure no additional nets remained, retrieving one more net containing live viejas and samas, which were liberated upon retrieval.