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45 kilos of mushrooms on the Nassfeld Pass: Men face high fines!
Three Italians were stopped at the Nassfeld Pass with 45 kg of illegally collected mushrooms. There is a risk of high penalties.
45 kilos of mushrooms on the Nassfeld Pass: Men face high fines!
A routine check at the Nassfeld Pass in Carinthia, on the border with Italy, ended in a legal mess for three Italian citizens. As exxpress.at reports, the border police discovered 45 kilograms of mushrooms hidden in a car during a traffic stop. This amount significantly exceeds the permitted limit according to the Carinthian Mushroom Ordinance.
Mushroom collecting is subject to strict regulations aimed at protecting nature and mushroom populations. During the inspection, the officers discovered that the men could not provide any relevant evidence of the mushrooms. This resulted in seven executive mandates, and a security deposit of 1,000 euros was set for each of the three men. You face high fines and reports to the district administration.
Mushroom collecting regulations
The legal basis for collecting mushrooms is anchored in the Forestry Act. According to oesterreich.gv.at, collecting mushrooms is generally permitted if it is for personal use. However, people who want to take more than two kilograms of mushrooms per day are usually obliged to stick to the established limits in order to prevent overexploitation of stocks. In protected areas, such as national parks, mushroom picking may even be completely prohibited.
Violations of these provisions are not only administrative violations, but can also be punishable. In the event of unauthorized collection, there is a risk of a fine of up to 150 euros for the excess amount, while at collection events without authorization, a fine of up to 730 euros or a prison sentence of up to one week are possible. The police and forest protection authorities are authorized to carry out checks and punish violations.
The incident at Nassfeld Pass shows that such controls are necessary. The mushrooms were deemed unfit for trade and confiscated, but it remains unclear whether they will be marketed or destroyed. This inspection is not an isolated incident; Similar incidents are reported again and again, especially during the peak season for porcini mushrooms and other noble mushrooms, as ORF Kärnten also notes.
The continued prosecution of violations under the Mushroom Ordinance shows the seriousness with which the authorities pursue the rules to protect nature and its resources. The incident serves as a stark reminder of the importance of following regulations when picking mushrooms.