Málaga records 20 reports of illegal shellfishing of protected species in 2025

The Junta de Andalucía has reported that, during the year 2025, Environmental Agents filed a total of 105 reports linked to illegal shellfishing of protected species. Of this total, 20 reports correspond to the province of Málaga.

Actions in Andalusia

The actions were carried out under the inspection and surveillance framework conducted by Environmental Agents to detect the unauthorized extraction, commercialization, consumption, or display of marine invertebrates. By province, the breakdown of reports is as follows: 39 in Granada, 26 in Cádiz, 15 in Almería, and five in Huelva.

Surveillance in the natural environment has been the main activity generating reports, followed by actions in controlling commercialization and inspections in catering establishments. In the latter, Agents found cases of illegal consumption of species included in the Andalusian List of Wild Species under Special Protection Regime.

Affected species

Among the species being monitored is the rustica limpet (Patella ferruginea), classified as Endangered, whose collection without control can threaten its survival. Additionally, the whelk Charonia lampas, considered Vulnerable, was subject to interventions where four shells were seized as decorative items in a catering establishment.

The collection of marine invertebrates, although an ancestral practice, is considered illegal when it affects protected species. The impact of uncontrolled extraction can be considerable, putting the sustainability of some populations at risk.

The inspections are governed by the Protocol for the Inspection of Illegal Shellfishing of Protected Species in Andalusia, approved in July 2016. This document aims to guide the work of Environmental Agents based on the species included in the Andalusian Catalogue of Threatened Species.

In addition to carrying out seizures when necessary, the presence of Environmental Agents has an informative character. Their work helps to raise awareness about the protection of species and the penalties for the illegal use of their remains.