Net of shame

November 30, 2009  •  Andalucia  •  0 Comments

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A BRITISH diver has discovered a giant illegal fishing net pinned to the sea floor just 250 metres from the shoreline.

Michael Longman, 22, a professional diving instructor, found the net while diving off La Herradura, on the Costa Tropical, near Nerja.

He said: “I was shocked to discover this vast fishing net hundreds of metres in length. The water was only around eight metres in depth and it stretched from the floor to the surface.

“We started to pass the halfway mark on our tanks, and still hadn’t reached the end of the net, it seemed endless.”

“There were many large lightning fish caught in the net and, while many were dead, some were alive, which we managed to free.”

Most alarmingly they could not ascertain exactly how long the net was.

“We started to pass the halfway mark on our tanks, and still hadn’t reached the end of the net, it seemed endless,” said Longman.

As well as being hazardous to the marine life in the area, the nets also pose a danger to swimmers and divers.

While Longman reported the net to the local Guardia Civil they insisted that because the nets were quickly removed they could not investigate further.

This was despite Longman having photographs of a buoy attached to the nets.

When the Olive Press contacted the Guardia Civil it explained that, while there are laws in place to prevent the practice, they could not comment on this particular case.

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