Source: AFP
The tuna fish trawler was fishing without permission in the waters of Portugal’s Azores archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, say Spanish authorities.
Madrid – Portuguese authorities seized Tuesday a Spanish fishing boat that was fishing without authorization in the waters of Portugal’s Azores archipelago in the Atlantic Ocean, the Spanish government said.
The tuna fish trawler Zeruko Erregina, which is based in Spain’s Canary Islands, was fishing “less than 100 nautical miles from the Azores without having permission to do so,†the environment and maritime ministry said.
The ship had authorization to fish in the area for a two-week period which ended on 30 June, it added in a statement.
There were 11 crew members on board the ship, eight Spaniards and three Moroccans, when it was seized. The ship and the crew are being taken to Ponta Delgada on the island of Sao Miguel in the Azores.
Spain’s foreign ministry was working to secure the release of the vessel, the spokesman for the regional government of the Canaries, Martin Marrero, told a news conference.