FIVE FISHERMEN DETAINED WITH SCALLOP CATCH
from RadioPatrulla.com by Henry D 'Stefano.
Through a surprise operation carried out at sea near the place called "La Costilla", located 90 kilometers south of San Felipe, but in the municipality of Ensenada, five poachers were caught in possession of 480 scallops by staff of the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) in coordination with the Ministry of the Navy (SEMAR). The poachers did not have the appropriate documentation proving their legal right to harvest the fan shell, or Atrina maura.
Apparently someone failed marine biology at Profepa, since their was a confusion of terms and Spondylus calcifer, better known as the 'donkey clam' , a species listed as "subject to special protection", was substituted for Atrina maura, better known as callus escarlopa or scallops, usually differentiated by the shape of its shell.
The marine insurance product and the vessel, and the arrest of the subjects was recorded for not presenting the latter the corresponding documentation proving the legal origin of the "donkey clam" (oops!).
The detainees, the product and the insured boat were put at the disposal of the Federal Public Ministry in Mexicali, which will proceed to make the preliminary investigation.