According to preliminary calculations, the damages caused to the state by illegal fishing exceed one million hryvnias. The man faces potential imprisonment.
The offender was caught yesterday evening in the delta of the Danube River near the village of Prymorske in the Vylkivska community. He was conducting illegal fishing using gillnets without the necessary permits.
The investigative team from the local police department seized a 50-meter gillnet and 56 sharp-nosed mullets as evidence. All seized items have been transferred to a specialized facility for storage during the pre-trial investigation.
Ecologists estimate that the losses inflicted on Ukraine's fishing industry exceed one million hryvnias.
“We have registered the case in the Unified Register of Pre-Trial Investigations under the signs of Part 1 of Article 249 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine. This pertains to illegal fishing that caused significant harm. The maximum penalty for this offense is imprisonment for up to three years. We have appointed a judicial engineering and ecological examination to determine the exact amount of damage caused to the state, after which we will decide on notifying the suspect. The investigation is ongoing, overseen by the Izmail District Prosecutor's Office,” stated Natalia Marymorovych, head of the inquiry sector of the Izmail district police department.
Police urge citizens to be responsible, protect nature, and adhere to established fishing regulations.