Georgia: The Employees of the Environmental Supervision Department of the Georgian Environament Ministry revealed 3 facts about illegal fishing in the Samegrelo and Shida Kartli regions of Georgia.
This was done in the framework of the fight against poaching. Poachers often used illegal fishing tools such as fishing nets, electric shock devices, fishing nets, and others. The materials were sent to the relevant authorities for further response.
It should be noted that in the village of Chale of Tsalenjikhi municipality, on the Enguri River, a citizen was catching illegal fishing from an inflatable boat, using an electric fishing weapon. The lawbreakers had illegally obtained about 2 kg of tobi fish.
In the city of Poti, on the river Kaparchina, a citizen illegally obtained 2.2 kg of mullet with an electric weapon from an aluminum inflatable boat. Fish.
Notably, a citizen was fishing in Kareli, on Mtkwari River from an inflatable boat, using a prohibited fishing tool – an electric weapon. The offender had illegally obtained 28 kg of different species. Fish
Because all three facts contain the signs of criminal offenses, materials were sent to the appropriate authorities for the purpose of further response.
It is to be added that the Department of Environmental Supervision crews carry out continuous 24-hour patrolling throughout the country to prevent and detect illegal forestry, poaching, fishing, and other environmental violations promptly. In addition, immediate response is given to each message received on the hotline (153) of the Ministry of Environment Protection and Agriculture.
Illegal fishing is a serious problem that threatens the biodiversity and sustainability of the aquatic resources in Georgia. Environment Supervision department urges citizens to consider that fishing is prohibited with means such as electrodes, electric shock devices, self-made electronic tools, firearms, netting, screen nets, drinking nets, other non-sport fishing nets, weapons, explosive or toxic substances of any kind, and fishing in inland reservoirs using chase and precaution, using fishing.
