17 May, 2019 @ 11:54
1 min read

SNIFFED OUT: Group in Spain fined €86,000 for cooking stew of protected birds after police smelt it from cliff

PROTECTED: The grey shearwater is classed as ‘near-threatened’

A GROUP of 10 people have each been fined €8,600 for making a stew out of protected birds on a beach.

A well-known businessman is among the hunting clan, caught after Guardia Civil agents smelt the stewing meat from a cliff.

One hunter even ‘had the spoon in his hand’, a court heard as the maximum fines for hunting and cooking protected birds were issued.

SNIFFED OUT: Guardia Civil smelt the meat cooking from a nearby cliff

The 10 men were convicted of killing grey shearwaters in Lanzarote in 2015, while the ‘near-threatened’ birds were in nesting season.

The group’s lawyers claimed the meat was lamb, but judges said that defence was ‘not at all credible’, as officers had run DNA tests on the illegal meal.

A further nine men were acquitted from the case, as it could not be proved that they were involved in the hunting or cooking of the birds, known in Spain as ‘pardela’.

APPROACH: Officers caught the beach-goers red-handed, although nine men have now been acquitted

Guardia Civil officers who docked on the islet of Alegranza, where the incident happened said the men had set up a tent, a portable kitchen and a table.

Cops snapped pictures of the empty nests of the birds, while noting that one of the defendants had ‘nodded in shame’ in shame when asked if he was eating pardela.

There has been a ban on hunting and eating the birds since 1986.

Previous Story

British holidaymaker drowns off Costa del Sol while swimming at popular expat beach

Next Story

Fraudsters ‘stole €8 million’ from holidaymakers in 2018 with SPAIN among ‘most affected’ countries

Latest from Crime & Law

Go toTop

More From The Olive Press

2 bedroom Finca/Country House for sale in Castano del Robledo with pool - € 268

2 bedroom Finca/Country House for sale in Castano del Robledo with pool – € 268,000

Finca/Country House Castaño del Robledo, Huelva   2 beds  
Watch: Giant jellyfish is filmed swimming in popular tourist port in Spain 

Watch: Giant jellyfish is filmed swimming in popular tourist port in Spain 

A GIANT jellyfish was spotted in the fishing port of