Illegal Fishing Activities Uncovered on the Danube and Dniester

Authorities have apprehended three residents of the Odesa region for engaging in illegal fishing activities along the Danube River and the Dniester estuary. Preliminary estimates indicate that their actions resulted in damages exceeding 1.3 million hryvnias. This was reported by the police.

The first incident occurred at the Danube mouth near the city of Vylkove. The Izmail district water police discovered two local men, aged 45 and 57, who were illegally catching Black Sea sprats using nets from a boat without any permits. They seized their vessel, four nets totaling 300 meters in length, and 50 kilograms of fish.

On the same day, at the Dniester estuary near the village of Kalagliya, Odesa district water police, together with border guards and officials from relevant services, stopped a 60-year-old resident of the Ovidiopol community. He was fishing for pike perch, bream, sprats, and perch using eight gill nets. Authorities confiscated 798 meters of nets, a boat, and over 300 fish.

"Ecologists estimate that the two men from Izmail caused damages of 500 thousand hryvnias, while the Ovidiopol resident caused over 800 thousand. Investigations have been initiated under Part 1 of Article 249 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine (illegal fishing activities). The sanction provides for up to three years of restriction of freedom. The investigation is ongoing under the procedural guidance of the Izmail and Chornomorsk district prosecutors" - the statement reads.

Law enforcement officials remind that as of April 1, a ban on spawning has been in effect in the region, making fishing of aquatic biological resources during this time strictly prohibited. It was also reported that restrictions on catching sprats will be implemented starting April 20.