Odesa Man Caught Poaching 100 Kg of Fish, Causing ₴ 8.5M Damage

Border guards, along with representatives of the water police and the environmental inspection, found a man in the Odesa region who was engaged in poaching activities under the cover of night on a boat in a wading suit.

According to the press service of the State Border Guard Service, the local resident was fishing with prohibited fishing gear.

The incident occurred on the outskirts of the village of Lyman in the waters of Lake Densheyske. At the time of the exposure, the fisherman managed to catch 100 kilograms of fish of different species - carp, perch and pike perch.

According to preliminary estimates, the total amount of damage caused to the state is almost UAH 8.5 million.

The boat, fishing gear and aquatic biological resources were seized according to the established procedure until the court decision. The man's actions have signs of a criminal offense under Article 249 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine "Illegal fishing, hunting or other aquatic or extractive fishing".

If his guilt is proven, the man faces a fine of one thousand to three thousand tax-free minimum incomes, or probationary supervision for up to three years, or restraint of liberty for the same period.

Last January, in Odesa Oblast, three men violated fishing regulations and caused UAH 710,000 in damage to the state. At the same time, fisheries guards caught poachers on Lake Kugurlui with 273 kg of fish and losses of UAH 1.5 million.

In 2023, a record 189 tons of juvenile fish were introduced into the water bodies of Odesa region. In October-December 2023, more than 8.2 million specimens of juvenile aquatic bioresources with a total weight of 189 tons were introduced into the water bodies of Odesa region. These included 6,237,100 silver carp, 1,830,525 carp and 179,148 white carp.

Кирило Бойко