File photo.
Authorities in southern Greece have arrested a man on charges of fishing using a banned toxic substance often employed to catch octopus.
The 66-year-old suspect was taken into custody Saturday at the village of Paralio Astros in the eastern Peloponnese.
A Coast Guard statement said he was allegedly snorkelling with a speargun and a torch, carrying a vial of copper sulphate that is highly toxic for marine life. Its use in fishing is forbidden, as is underwater speargun fishing at night and using light sources.
The man was fined and his equipment confiscated.
