Man faces fine for poaching 2,500 sea urchins

[Handout/Hellenic Coast Guard]

A antheral has been caught connected the land of Evia poaching thousands of oversea urchins, a traditional Lenten delicacy that is important for marine ecosystems, authorities said Friday.

A Coast Guard statement said the 44-year-old amateur fisherman was recovered successful the Glyfa country successful possession of 2,500 of the globular, spine-bristling oversea creatures, which helium had seemingly gathered by free-diving.

The urchins were thrown backmost into the water, while the antheral faced a fine, the Coast Guard said.

The creatures play a cardinal relation successful keeping seas cleanable by eating algae, frankincense preventing their overgrowth, and service arsenic a nutrient source for different forms of marine life.

Greek instrumentality lone allows the postulation of oversea urchins by licensed fishers during daylight successful January, February, March, July, August and December. An amateur licence allows the postulation of up to 30 urchins per time – which can’t beryllium legally sold connected – and a nonrecreational licence up to 600.