Sale without any certification at just 3.99 euros per kilo in the Ballarò market and the first consumers, 14, ended up in the emergency room in Trapani. This is the picture that emerges after the reopening of bluefin tuna fishing, particularly in Sicily and Calabria. This is revealed by the new investigation carried out by Adorno Groupi.e. the volunteers specialized in anti-poaching on land and at sea, who highlighted illegal capture techniques by unauthorized boats in the Strait of Messina and the widespread sale of tuna at very low prices in the Ballarò market, so much so as to make one think to a large landing of fish caught illegally and detained in irregular conditions.
“Outlawed tuna, caught outside the quota established by the European Union and, therefore, without any control by the veterinary authorities – we read in a note -. A fact that probably led to the hospitalizations that were recorded a few days ago in Trapani. As is known, tuna kept in unsuitable conditions produces a toxic protein that is unfortunately not detectable by taste. Yesterday in particular, in the Ballarò market in Palermo, tuna was sold almost everywhere at the incredible price of 3.99 euros per kilo, while a fish shop in compliance with the certifications would expose it to a price even five times higher. All this while tuna is landed almost daily in the Palermo port of Cala, complete with checks by the coast guard who record the weight and place of landing. In another sea, however, who knows what happens.”
According to the Adorno Group “… the intensification of controls at sea is essential to avoid exceeding the permitted quotas and illegal fishing by sport fishermen. Furthermore, a profound redefinition of the regulatory framework is needed as the matter has been the subject, in the recent past, of robust decriminalization by the Italian State. For this reason, the Adorno Group has promoted questions presented to the European Parliament which will continue in the next legislature. For volunteers, the preparatory activity for the infringement procedure must immediately be opened in Italy”.
