Winter Fishing Ban: Protecting Fish in Wintering Pits
From November 1 until the spawning season, a ban on fishing in wintering pits is imposed in the water bodies of the Odesa region to preserve aquatic resources during winter.
What is a wintering pit? It is a deep area of the water body where fish gather to hibernate. The boundaries of these pits are defined according to the Amateur Fishing Rules and Industrial Fishing Rules in the Black Sea basin.
Fishing in wintering pits is prohibited:
- any industrial fish catch;
- recreational and sports fishing, even from the shore;
- movement of vehicles or motor boats.
According to clause 4 of paragraph 3 of section IV of the Amateur Fishing Rules, during the ice cover period, it is forbidden to use fishing gear with hooks that exceed a distance of 10 mm between the shaft and the tip.
Responsibility for violations: fines range from 34 to 680 UAH with compensation for damages. For significant harm — criminal liability with fines from 17,000 to 85,000 UAH, or restriction or deprivation of liberty for up to three years with compensation for damages.
The Odesa Fisheries Protection Patrol urges compliance with the law. Violations can be reported via the hotline at (098) 798-47-93.
