The OPV ‘Alborán’ concludes NAFO’s international campaign of inspection and surveillance.

The offshore patrol vessel (OPV) ‘Alborán’ returned home on July 22nd after participating in this year’s international campaign of fisheries surveillance in waters of the North Atlantic.

In the course of the 62-day deployment, the ‘Alborán’ conducted several patrols in and around the shoals of Newfoundland (Canada) controlled by the Northwest Atlantic Fisheries Organization (NAFO). The vessel embarked a group of international inspectors from the Spanish Fisheries Secretariat and the European Fisheries Control Agency (EFCA) carrying out a total of 20 inspections.

In addition to the endeavors of control and surveillance, the Spanish Navy’s OPV also provided support to the national trawlers fleet working in the area, including medical support since the ship has a sick bay with a doctor and a nurse on board.

This time, the ‘Alborán’ embarked a Spanish fisherman whose trawler asked for medical assistance. The patient was treated on board, but given the seriousness of the case, the military doctor recommended the evacuation of the person in question to Spain.