The Maritime Police seized more than a tonne of Japanese clams in the Samouco area, in the municipality of Alcochete, in a surveillance operation aimed at capturing bivalve clams, it was announced this Wednesday.
In addition to 1,280 kg of mollusks, which are prohibited from being caught without proper registration of live bivalve molluscs, echinoderms and tunicates, two vehicles were also seized in a statement from the Maritime Police.
The vehicles also did not meet the conditions regarding the sanitary rules for the transport and handling of shellfish.
A Japanese mollusc seized in an inspection carried out on Tuesday was later destroyed with the support of the municipality of Alcochete, Setúbal district, for not meeting the sanitary conditions for consumption.
This type of activity on the Tagus River has been the subject of complaints and protests.
In May 2022, the municipality of Alcochete unanimously approved a proposal to demand increased surveillance and inspection on the Tagus River to combat illegal shellfish harvesting, which also caused security problems in the municipality.
In a proposal sent to the government, the President of the Republic, the Assembly of the Republic, the Attorney General of the Republic, the police and the maritime authorities, the municipality demanded an increase in personnel and funds for the National Republican Guard so that it can effectively develop its activities, powers, as well as increased vigilance, inspections and actions by the Marine Police.
This was the second petition approved by the municipality, protesting the issue and demanding more scrutiny and vigilance from subjects.