425 kilos of octopus were seized on Monday, September 3, in Olhão, for escaping the auction. The arrest was made by the Coastal Control Unit (UCC) of the GNR.
According to GNR, the octopus was being transported by a vehicle that was intercepted during a patrol and surveillance action, "with the objective of preserving marine species and safeguarding the fauna and flora of the Ria Formosa".
The company suspected of having promoted the escape from the auction was identified and may have to pay a fine that could amount to close to 45 thousand euros.
The octopus, after being subject to sanitary inspection by the Veterinary Authority, was sold at auction.
«The regime for the sale of fresh fish provides that the first sale must be carried out at auction, through the auction system. The basis of this regime is based, above all, on the intention to maintain and preserve a price regulation mechanism in this sector by concentrating supply and demand, ensuring compliance with catch quotas, established with a view to the sustainability of the species and for the hygiene control of the fish”, states the GNR's UCC.
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