Government Seizes 60kg of Octopus from Restaurant for Illegal Possession

Joan Simonet: "We perform these controls to ensure compliance with the regulations, with the primary goal of protecting the legitimate interests of the sector and also the consumers, as well as preventing unfair competition.”

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Natural Environment, through the fishing inspection staff of the General Directorate of Fisheries, has filed a complaint for illegal possession of octopus against a restaurant located in Port de Pollença. Specifically, 60 kg of this product were seized because the establishment had no documentation to prove its traceability and origin.

In this regard, Minister Joan Simonet emphasized, "Octopus is a highly appreciated species and is the target of poaching. From the Department, we conduct these checks to ensure the regulations are followed, aiming primarily to protect the legitimate interests of the sector and consumers, as well as to prevent unfair competition. Actions like these demonstrate the Government's commitment to defending our fishermen."

The incident occurred during a routine visit, as part of a joint inspection with staff from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Food, to restaurants in the Balearic Islands. The 60 kg of octopus were found in the restaurant's freezing chambers, distributed among several plastic bags. Due to the good condition of the product, instead of destroying it, it was decided to contact the Palma Aquarium Foundation, which was given the octopus to feed sea turtles and other recovering species.

It must be remembered that, according to Law 6/2013 of November 7, on maritime fishing, shellfishing, and aquaculture in the Balearic Islands, trading fishery products without justifying their traceability and origin is considered a serious offense. It can be sanctioned, in addition to the seizure of the goods, with a minimum fine of 601 euros and up to 60,000 euros. The legal services of the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Natural Environment will now be responsible for conducting the sanctioning procedure.