Around 20 tonnes of canned tuna were seized at the port of La Spezia. The load, destined for Italian tables for Christmas, did not comply with traceability regulations
The port of La Spezia was the protagonist of an important seizure operation which involved approximately 20 tons of canned yellow fin tunaintended for the Italian market. The cargo, with a commercial value of approximately 250,000 euros, had arrived in the Ligurian port on a merchant ship coming from Senegal.
The seizure, carried out jointly by the Port Authority of La Spezia and the Customs and Monopolies Agency, was necessary as the cargo presented serious traceability and compliance problems with European regulations on the trade of fish products.
In practice, canned tuna did not have the necessary requirements to enter Italy. But let’s understand better what problems it presented.
The irregularities found
The control operation was triggered thanks to a report from competent bodies, which had already been monitoring the influx of fish products in Italy and Europe for some time, in particular in view of the Christmas holidays, a period in which the consumption of tuna and other similar products increases significantly.
Using sophisticated computer tracking tools, the authorities identified the suspicious cargo at the port of La Spezia. The container, embarked on a merchant ship, contained approximately 20 tons of canned yellowfin tuna, but during the checks several irregularities emerged in terms of documentation which led to the immediate seizure of the product.
One of the main problems was the lack of traceability of tuna. European legislation on imports of fish products requires that each load be accompanied by tracking documents that certify the legal origin of the product. This includes catch certificates, which guarantee that the fish does not come from illegal fishing activities. The absence of these documents made it impossible for importers to obtain the necessary authorization for the cargo to enter the European market.
Indeed, the lack of such certifications makes the cargo suspicious, as it could come from unregulated fishing and production practices, which implies a risk for environmental sustainability but also for public health.
Yellowfin tuna is a valuable and widely consumed species but its fishing must take place in compliance with rigorous international regulations. Illegal fishing practices, such as those that may be behind this haul, contribute to the overexploitation of marine resources and threaten the balance of marine ecosystems.
The investigations were therefore fundamental to ensure that this load was intercepted promptly, preventing non-compliant products from entering the Italian and European markets.
