The Razna Lake detects illegal submarine hunting
On May 23, 2015, the employees of Latgale Regional Administration of Latvia received information regarding possible submarine hunting in Razna Lake. The test led to the capture of Rēzekne's inhabitant with illegally hunted fish – six banners (brecks) and two adhesives. Initiated administrative proceedings regarding violation of angling regulations in a specially protected nature area.
The Nature Protection Board thanked the local people who reported the alleged infringement in time, resulting in an operationally successful detention of suspects.
Paragraph 7 of the angling rules stipulates that the use of underwater hunting tools in the rivers and lakes of specially protected areas, with the exception of private lakes where fishing rights do not belong to the State, shall be permitted if the procedures for the fishing of licensed amateur fishing are agreed and the relevant local government has adopted the submarine hunting regulations of the specified body of water or the authorised fishing by-law, which provides for submarine hunting. In water bodies located in the territory of the Razna National Park, except private lakes where fishing rights do not belong to the State, the use of underwater hunting tools is prohibited. The exception is Azzer, as the municipality of Dagda has adopted and co-ordinated the approved submarine hunting regulation in the Ministry of Agriculture, which runs until 1 June 2016.
Underwater hunting, as with fishing, may be carried out wherever it is permitted by Cabinet Regulation No. 1498 “fishing regulations”. Exceptions to the above are possible in certain special areas of conservation where prohibitions or restrictions on fishing, submarine hunting and industrial fishing have been imposed in accordance with the individual protection and use rules of these territories.
The information was prepared by:
Nature Protection pārvaldes
Public relations and environmental education department
Additional information:
Regina Indriķe
Nature Protection pārvaldes
Latgale Regional Administrations
Head of the Nature Education Centre Razna
Mob. tel.: 29139677