Manfredonia – All-out poaching in the Gargano National Park. The Manfredonia Financial Police conducted two operations on the same day along the coast of the promontory to apprehend those violating the rules, damaging the marine environment and maintaining legality.
The final toll was approximately 2.000 sea urchins seized, a trawl net confiscated, and fines totaling 6.000 euros.
Seabed assault: divers in action with 2.000 sea urchins
The first raid took place in the waters off one of the beaches in Mattinata (Foggia). Here, during a patrol, the finance police caught two underwater fishermen illegally collecting sea urchins.
The two, true plunderers of the seabed, had managed to collect almost two thousand specimens of Paracentrotus Lividus, a valuable species whose collection is currently prohibited in Puglia to encourage repopulation.
In addition to the entire haul of sea urchins, the Naval Operations Section seized the tanks used by the two divers. They were fined a hefty €4.000.
Illegal trawling: net hit near the coast
It doesn't end there. Shortly thereafter, a second operation involved a fishing vessel caught red-handed in the waters of Macchia, in the municipality of Monte Sant'Angelo. The vessel's crew was trawling close to the coast, a technique harmful to the seabed, and was illegally harvesting juvenile transparent goby (Aphia minuta).
The officers stopped the fishing vessel and seized approximately 5 kilograms of juvenile fish and the prohibited equipment, a trawl net. The captain was fined €2.000 and also penalized with six points on his fishing license.
Ecosystem protection: catches come back to life
The most important outcome of the operations, however, was the fate of the catch. All the seized sea urchins and juveniles, still alive, were immediately thrown back into the sea. This was a concrete gesture to return to nature what had been illegally taken and to ensure the repopulation of the seabed, contributing to safeguarding the balance of the Gargano marine ecosystem.
The Guardia di Finanza (Financial Police) reminds that sea urchin fishing is temporarily prohibited along the Apulian coast, while transparent goby fishing is subject to strict regulations or completely prohibited for environmental sustainability reasons. Fishing during this reproductive phase risks wiping out entire fish populations.
With a constant and operational presence 24 hours a day, the air and naval component of the Guardia di Finanza (Fiamme Gialle) confirms itself as a bulwark in the fight against illegal fishing and in environmental protection, defending legality and marine resources for future generations.
Changes and revisions to this article
- Article updated on 13/02/2026 at 12:54 PM - Improved image quality
Source EDITORIAL TEAM
Comments (1)
The article discusses issues that are important for protecting the marine environment, but it's unclear whether the fines are severe enough. Fishermen will continue to commit fraud without fear of punishment unless there are more frequent checks.