Coast guard officials yesterday confiscated an estimated 30 kilos of marine life and arrested five Spaniards in connection with violating several fishing laws, reported the Public Security Ministry.

The men were found in an overloaded fishing boat near the Gulf of Nicoya off the Pacific port town of Puntarenas, using prohibited fishing gear, among other irregularities, by officers of the Caldera Coast Guard.

The incident took place in Caletas Bay in the county of Garabito when the Coast Guard spotted a boat named Vero Juli Gene, with registration number GPC 09314.

The five Spaniards, who were in a boat with a 4-person capacity, were identified with the last names of Salas, Pérez, Sales, Lopez and Valles, and who had as part of their tackle 10 harpoons which are prohibited in Costa Rica.

During this routine surveillance operation by coast guard to prevent illegal fishing and other illegal activities along the coast, officials also found that of the five occupants, only one had a license, and that was for sport fishing.

As for the boat, its license indicates it is to be used only for artisanal, non-sport fishing, and anywhere in the Pacific except the Gulf of Nicoya, as long as its owner is on board, which he was not. Apparently he rented the boat to the Spaniards.

The catch, which included various species including barber fish, snapper, snook, grouper, mackerel, parrot fish, and sea bass, as well as a lobster with eggs, was delivered to Fisheries Agency (Incopesca) where a report to determine the possible environmental damage caused will be generated and delivered to the police.

Coast guard contacted the public prosecutor’s office in Jacó, the town nearest to where the vessel had drifted out from the Nicoya Gulf, to turn in the Spaniards, and meanwhile the vessel was confiscated along with the fishing equipment.