In connection with the whitefish spawning season, whitefish hunting is prohibited in Lake Sevan every year. The goal is simple: ensuring the reproduction of a fish species that is in high industrial demand.
The ban on whitefish hunting was from November 20 last year to February 1 this year. Compared to the previous year, the number of violations has decreased, which is the result not only of the work of the supervisory bodies, but also of increasing the legal awareness of citizens. And although this time again the primary place was given to the explanatory work, unfortunately, there are violators. And in such cases, it is necessary to apply measures of administrative intervention. Let's remind that in some cases, such violations imply criminal liability.
As a result of the round-the-clock service during the ban, eco-patrols discovered 31 cases of illegal fishing, protocols were drawn up. 27 swimming vessels, eight trawlers and 189 fishing nets were seized and moved to a special protected area.
the eco-patrol service actively cooperated with various units of the MIA police both on land and during the activities carried out on water.
Let's remember two of the mentioned cases of hidden transfer. On January 22, the water patrols of the Gegharkunik Marz battalion of the Patrol Service stopped a car on the Yerevan-Sevan-Ijevan road, under the hood of which 74 whitefish were found. The water patrols discovered another incident on the night of January 28. On the Tsovagyuh-Shorzha-Vardenis road, they stopped a tow truck that was transporting an "Opel" car. During the inspection, 230 kilograms of sig were found in the "Opel" salon.
The officers of the Gegharkunik Marz Battalion of the Patrol Service play an active role in the detection of violations.
According to Tigran Avetisyan, the head of the patrol service organization department, during the ban on whitefish hunting in Lake Sevan, the patrols of the Gegharkunik regional battalion discovered 58 cases of illegal hunting, 40 of which initiated administrative and 18 criminal proceedings. 12 thousand whitefish weighing about 4.5 tons were found and confiscated. Hunting tools and watercraft, particularly boats, engines, fishing nets, etc., were confiscated.
One of the ways to prevent illegal fishing of whitefish is to prevent and detect the sale of fish. In that direction, the police has taken measures in the entire territory of the republic.
As a result of the measures undertaken jointly with the regional departments of the Environmental Protection and Subsoil Inspection Body, the patrol service officers found 273 kg of whitefish in Shirak marz, 32 kg in Vayots Dzor, 147 kg in Tavush, and 182 kg in Kotayk. Cases of sale of cigars were also prevented in the capital.
Community police officers also participated in the events. 78 kg of whitefish were found.
Detecting violations, bringing violators to justice, confiscating hunting equipment and other punitive measures are important and have preventive significance.
The fight against illegal hunting is not the only direction of cooperation between the Ministries of Internal Affairs and Environment and other related bodies. All environmental problems are in the center of attention, and it is the year-by-year cooperation of various structures that should ensure the solution of these vital problems for the country.
