Colombian navy seizes boat with over 1,700 pounds of protected marine life near Malpelo

The Colombian Navy stopped a fishing vessel in the Pacific and confiscated roughly 1,764 pounds of marine animals suspected of being taken from the protected Malpelo sanctuary, detaining three Ecuadorian crew members.

A Colombian naval patrol in the Pacific intercepted a fishing vessel laden with about 1,764 pounds of marine animals thought to have been taken from the Malpelo Fauna and Flora Sanctuary, a highly protected marine reserve. Three Ecuadorian citizens on the boat were surrendered to the Judicial Police as the authorities launched an inquiry into the illegal haul. While the exact species and the state of the captured wildlife have not been released, the catch was delivered to the National Natural Parks authority for further handling.

The navy highlighted ongoing illegal fishing threats to the sanctuary, which hosts diverse species such as hammerhead and whale sharks, dolphins, and humpback whales. Investigators aim to determine the precise location of the catch, the fishing methods employed, and whether sufficient evidence links the haul to the protected area. No formal charges have been announced yet, and officials called on local communities to report any activities endangering the reserve.