Baiona Percebes Poacher Pleads Guilty, Gets €1,080 Fine, Three-Year Ban and €4,954 Payout

Overview

• The defendant entered a guilty plea in Vigo’s Criminal Court No. 1 on November 19 for a wildlife offense tied to illegal percebe harvesting.
• He accepted a sentence of a €1,080 fine, a three-year prohibition on shellfishing or fishing, and €4,954 in compensation to the Cofradía de Pescadores La Anunciada.
• Prosecutors and the guild documented 37 detections from 2020 to 2024, with authorities seizing a total of 119 kilograms of illegally taken percebes.
• The poaching spanned coastal areas between Baiona, Monteferro (Nigrán) and Punta Orelludas (Oia), according to the case summary.
• An earlier prosecutorial request sought a €3,000 fine and a four-year ban, but the penalty was reduced as part of the plea agreement.