News
The Department of Environmental Supervision Identified a Case of Poaching in Samegrelo
Employees of the Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Regional Division of the Department of Environmental Supervision of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture identified the violation in Zugdidi Municipality.
At a pond located in the village of Akhali Abastumani, an individual illegally caught carp using an electric fishing device.
Fishing with an electrofishing device constitutes a criminal offence. The case materials have been forwarded to the relevant authority for further action.
Electric fishing devices pose a threat to human life and health. The manufacture, purchase, possession, carrying, transport, shipment, or sale of such devices is punishable by law.
Combating poaching remains a top priority for the Environmental Supervision Department. The patrol crews of the Department of Environmental Supervision conduct continuous 24-hour monitoring nationwide to ensure the timely prevention, detection, and suppression of illegal fishing, hunting, and other environmental violations. In addition, they provide immediate responses to all reports received through the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture’s hotline (153). As part of its efforts to combat poaching, the Department, including its Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti Regional Division, actively utilizes modern technologies and watercraft. These efforts have significantly expanded the scale and effectiveness of the fight against illegal fishing. In the first six months of this year alone, 40 cases of illegal fishing were identified in Samegrelo-Zemo Svaneti.
