Italian authorities seize over 1,500 illegal sea urchins and crack illegal fishing operations

Coast Guard units in the Adriatic and Campania regions intensified actions against illegal marine harvesting. In Campomarino Lido, more than 1,500 live sea urchins weighing about a quintal were seized from abandoned nets during a June 2026 patrol, then released back into the sea. The operation enforced the national fishing ban for May‑June and involved environmental police checking for missing safety markings.

A separate two‑day anti‑poaching effort in the Domitian Sea, from the Agnena River to Monte di Procida, was carried out by the Province of Caserta, regional authorities, Sea Shepherd, and various law‑enforcement bodies. Hundreds of PVC tubes, ghost nets and illegal traps were recovered, and captured marine fauna were freed. Recovered material will be recycled into transport boxes for sea‑turtle rescue projects, illustrating a collaborative model between NGOs, local governments and the Guardia di Finanza.