Italian authorities crack down on illegal fishing, seizing tuna and removing ghost nets

In June, the Italian Coast Guard’s regional operation “Ghost Landing” in eastern Sicily seized about 14 tonnes of illegal red tuna, identified 80 administrative violations and imposed fines totaling roughly €160,000. Twenty pieces of irregular fishing gear were also confiscated. The seized tuna cleared for human consumption was donated to charitable organisations, while the ineligible portion will be disposed of under law.

Separately, divers from the Carabinieri’s underwater unit, WWF Italy and partner organisations removed more than 200 kg of ghost‑netting from a wreck deep within the protected marine area of the Tremiti Islands. The operation rescued numerous trapped fish and highlighted the ongoing threat of abandoned gear to marine ecosystems. About a tonne of net is still estimated to remain on the wreck, with further dives planned as part of WWF’s Ghost Gear project.