Although fish rights organisation Equinac has filed a criminal complaint, the Guardia Civil said that it’s not illegal to kill fish by sitting on them, any more than it is illegal to kill fish by smacking them against a rock when you catch them (he gets done under a procedimiento administrativo sancionador, if you understand Spanish law).
The moonfish is not endangered, and as such is not protected by law.
Nor is it a domestic animal.
As such, there is no recourse in law. All the police could do was issue a small fine for not obeying the advice of an official to “leave the poor animal alone”.
So, sociopathic, yes. A crime, no. Feel free to pull all non-endangered fish out of the water and kill them in whatever sadistic way you want to, it’s perfectly legal.
I just hope the police are keeping an eye on his freezer, to see whether any human limbs appear in it.
Via Diario de Almeria, much the best local newspaper at the moment.