Over the weekend just gone, the Port Authority – Coast Guard of Mazara del Vallo carried out a targeted control and surveillance activity in the fishing sector through which fishing gear (gillnets) used illegitimately were identified.
In particular, this activity arose from a report at the Operations Room of the Port Authority of Mazara del Vallo relating to the presence of a vessel intent on lowering fishing nets into the sea, in the waters in front of the Lungomare San Vito in Mazara del Vallo (TP), according to the reporter, dangerous for navigation safety.
Having arrived at the reported point, the crew of patrol boat 2092 noted the actual presence in the sea of a large gillnet, devoid of identification elements, typical of professional fishing activity.
The military then seized a network of approximately three km from unknown persons, resulting in it being dangerous for navigation, which is why it was removed and placed under seizure for subsequent confiscation.
Already in recent days, two nets of the same type were seized on the northern coast of Mazara del Vallo, in the Tonnarella area. The first network, approximately 2.5 km long, was seized due to the lack of the required yellow floating signals, no more than 200 meters apart, by unknown persons. The second network, of approximately 3 km, was instead seized with a financial penalty imposed on a yachtsman, for use and possession of unauthorized tools, as it is a tool for exclusive professional use.
Commander CF (CP) Raffaele GIARDINA assures that the Coast Guard’s checks will continue, also in the next few days, aimed at protecting the fish resource and the safety of navigation to protect users of the sea and the Mazara coasts also in view of the upcoming bathing season, as well as the fishing class to the detriment of which fishing gear not permitted by sector regulations is used illegally.
Mazara del Vallo, 29 April 2024.
