They were caught more red-handed… sorry about the sharks! An amount that exceeds 226 unitsincluding sharks, sailfish, marlin, dorado, bonito, as well as 602 shark fins and a turtle, were seized in one of the two vessels that were fishing illegally in the Cordillera de Coiba Managed Resources Area.
This seizure was the result of the first joint operation between the Aeronaval Service (SENAN) and the NGO Marine Protection Alliance (MPA), with the collaboration of park ranger from the Ministry of the Environment (MiAMBIENTE) and officials from the Aquatic Resources Authority of Panama (ARAP).
Find out other news: day by day Panama
In the balance provided by the authorities of MiAMBIENTE from Chiriquí, After reviewing, weighing and cataloging the cargo found on the Colombian ship, it was towed to the port of Pedregal in the city of David.
The inter-institutional team that achieved the seizure was part of the vessel’s crew SharkWater, propiedad de Marine Protection Alliance, supplied to the National Government for patrol tasks on the Panamanian coast and to prevent the commission of crimes in the national territory.
In an inter-institutional effort, two vessels were detected that were carrying out illegal fishing and shark finning within the limits of the Protected Area called Coiba Mountain Range Managed Resources Area. For these actions, eight citizens of Colombian nationality were arrested, on whom the Environmental Crimes Prosecutor’s Office imposed 6 months of preventive detention, while the investigations continue.
The result of the seized pieces consisted of several species of shark. In this case: hammerhead shark: 44 individuals; thresher shark: 109 individuals; silky shark or dogfish: 38 individuals; goldfish: 4 individuals; bonito fish: 25 individuals, marlin fish: 1 individual; Sailfish: 5 individuals. In addition, a total of 602 shark fins were counted with an estimated weight of 36.95 kilograms, and as for the turtle found, it is confirmed that it is an adult male of the commonly called olive ridley turtle (Lepidochelys olivacea).
At the time the vessel was discovered, most of the sharks’ fins and bodies were in good condition, allowing experts to easily identify the species for classification. The most significant shark species seized are classified in the CITES appendix II and, according to the standards of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), they are categorized as Critically Endangered and some as Vulnerable. They are also under Appendix II of the Convention on Migratory Species (CMS).
After months of training and preparation, this is the first joint mission that both institutions have carried out since the alliance they made. Since then, SENAN and MPA They have prepared and trained, adapting MPA’s ‘Sharkwater’ ship with specialized technology aimed at detecting and deterring vessels that carry out IUU fishing, receiving training in various tactics and operational strategies, as well as developing intelligence systems.
2023-09-28 01:18:56
#Illegal #fishing #Coiba #seize #units #sharks #fish #turtles
