Burst of checks by the Coast Guard of La Maddalena in the catering activities located in the municipality of La Maddalena and in the tourist resort of Baja Sardinia in the Municipality of Arzachena.
The aim is to guarantee consumer protection in a period in which fish consumption is maximum, with particular reference to compliance with current regulations on the traceability and labeling of fish products, compliance with the hygienic-sanitary standards of shellfish, prevention and repression of fraud commercial activities and controls on the ban on the administration and use of species originating from sport and recreational fishing or species that are prohibited or subject to long-term protection plans, such as bluefin tuna.
During the checks, fines were raised for a total of 3500 euros and two restaurateurs were reported to the judicial authority.
In particular, in two commercial establishments it was ascertained that numerous kilos of molluscs such as mussels, clams and cockles were kept, for storage, inside the kitchen completely immersed in water and in violation of current Community and national regulations.
In a Maddalenian restaurant, the staff of the Fisheries Vigilance Unit found over 35 kg of fish products (squid, mussels, yellow fin tuna, octopus, salmon and cuttlefish) of dubious origin and lacking the required traceability documentation. Also in this case the owner was sanctioned for 1,500 euros and the fish was seized .
In Baja Sardinia , the soldiers of the Port Authority of La Maddalena have ascertained in a local restaurant that customers are being served frozen fish "passed off as fresh" , including squid and octopus. The owner of the restaurant was denounced for the crime of "commercial fraud" and at the same time the seizure of over 20 kilos of frozen fish was triggered.
In another restaurant in the tourist resort, tuna in a bad state of conservation was found in the kitchen, ready to be served to customers. In particular, it was possible to ascertain how a whole strand of tuna, purchased already defrosted, had been subjected to repeated freezing and thawing operations. Also in this case, the owner of the restaurant was reported to the judicial authorities for the crime of possession and administration of fish in a poor state of conservation, proceeding at the same time with the seizure of the entire tuna loin, equal to 5 kilos.
The control activities on the fishing chain will continue in the coming days as well.
(Unioneonline / vl)