thinkSPAIN Logo
  • Property for Sale
  • To Rent
  • Holidays
  • Directory
  • Jobs
  • News
    • € EUR
    • £ GBP
    • $ USD
    • ARS
    • AUD
    • BRL
    • CAD
    • CHF
    • CLP
    • CNY
    • COP
    • CZK
    • DKK
    • HKD
    • ISK
    • JPY
    • MXN
    • NOK
    • NZD
    • PLN
    • RUB
    • SEK
    • SGD
    • TRY
    • ZAR
    • Subscribe to our Weekly Newsletter
    • Give website feedback or report an issue
    • Professionals/Advertiser Login
    • Advertise your Property on thinkSPAIN
    • Sell your property with an estate agent
    • Add your Business to the Directory
    • Advertising with thinkSPAIN
    • List a job vacancy on thinkSPAIN
    • Follow thinkSPAIN on Facebook
    • Follow thinkSPAIN on Twitter
  • 0
  • 0
    • By Signing up you are agreeing with our Terms and Privacy Policy.

      Looking for the Professionals/Advertiser Login?
      Sign in with Google Sign in with Apple Sign in with Facebook
      or

      Don't have an account?  

      • Follow us:

Sign up

By Signing up you are agreeing with our Terms and Privacy Policy.
Sign in with Google Sign in with Apple Sign in with Facebook
or

Already have a thinkSPAIN account? Sign in

Sign in/Register

By Signing up you are agreeing with our Terms and Privacy Policy.
Sign in with Google Sign in with Apple Sign in with Facebook
or

Don't have an account?

Forgot your password?

Subscribe to our Newsletter

By submitting this form, you confirm that you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Feedback is welcome

By submitting this form, you confirm that you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
thinkSPAIN Logo

Galicia fishing boat impounded in Ireland accused of 'finning sharks'

 

Galicia fishing boat impounded in Ireland accused of 'finning sharks'

thinkSPAIN Team 01/09/2018

Galicia fishing boat impounded in Ireland accused of 'finning sharks'
A FISHING boat from Galicia has been impounded in the Republic of Ireland after its crew were accused of 'cutting the fins off sharks'.

The Virxe da Blanca ('Virgin in White') is being held off the port of Castletown in the south of the country after an inspection of its practices led authorities to believe the fishermen were guilty of 'finning'.

This is illegal in Europe, although commonplance in east and south-east Asia, where sharks are caught, their fins removed and the remainder of the creature is thrown back in the sea, with the fins – considered a delicacy, especially in China – are typically made into soup.

In the case of the Virxe da Blanca, which has passed every single inspection up to now, the fishermen say they were acting in accordance with EU norms: after catching Blue Sharks (Prionace Glauca) and whilst cleaning them for future sale, the crew cut off the 'anal fins', which are located exactly where the name suggests.

The fishing industry does not consider these 'fins'; rather, an 'attachment' or 'appendix', because they are very fragile and do not serve the same purpose as the 'main' fins.

Sergio López of the Fishing Producers' Organisation (OPP) in Lugo, which the boat – based in Burela - belongs to, says all previous inspections of the Virxe da Blanca's Blue Shark-catching practices have been signed off as legal, and believes the vessel has been impounded due to a 'misunderstanding'.

According to López, the Secretary-General for Fishing has already written to port and fishing authorities, and is hoping the issue will be 'satisfactorily cleared up' very soon.

And Spain's industry for fishing says it is waiting to hear back from its counterpart in Ireland, but assures that the crew has not been formally accused of any offence against EU regulations.

The 13-strong multi-national crew, of whom three are from Galicia, used to fish off Spain's northern coast catching white tuna, known as Bonito in Spain and a popular dish in fish restaurants along the Cantabrian Sea regions, but were experiencing disappointing results from their trade and decided to branch out internationally two years ago.

 

Photograph: Vesselfinder

 

 

Related Topics

  • Economy

You may also be interested in ...

  • Property for sale in Lugo
  • Businesses & Services in Lugo
Advertisement
Advertisement

More News & Information

Spain population hits all-time high
Society 31/01/2023
Spain population hits all-time high

Spain is now home to more inhabitants than ever before. Census data published this week by the National Institute of Statistics (INE), puts the number of people registered as resident in Spain on January 1st 2022 at 47...

View
Value-added tax reduced on staple groceries
Food & Drink 04/01/2023
Value-added tax reduced on staple groceries

CUTTING value-added tax on basic foodstuffs has already borne fruit for households in Spain, and the move will continue for at least the first six months of 2023, the national government confirms.

View
Cash for companies which cut working hours for same wages
Education/Work 04/01/2023
Cash for companies which cut working hours for same wages

SMALL and medium-sized businesses will get up to €150,000 if they reduce staff's working hours by at least 10% without cutting their salaries, as long as they keep the new system in place for a minimum of two...

View
'Spanish Friday' is born: Nation's answer to 'Black Friday', in December
Economy 12/12/2022
'Spanish Friday' is born: Nation's answer to 'Black Friday', in December

'BLACK Friday' comes just once a year, but if you want to buy authentically-national goods for discounted prices, 'Spanish Friday' is your chance.

View
Advertisement
  1. Spain
  2. Galicia
  3. Lugo province
  4. Lugo city
  5. Galicia fishing boat impounded in Ireland accused of 'finning sharks'

Cookies help us deliver our services. By using our services, you agree to our use of cookies. More information