The military aggression of the Russian Federation has caused significant damage to Ukraine's fisheries. The Sea of Azov is no exception, where the Russian forcess are engaged in large-scale illegal fishing, ruthlessly plundering the fish resources of the water body.
It should be noted that the temporary occupation of the Sea of Azov by Russia has made it impossible for Ukraine to exercise control over the fishing of aquatic bioresources in this body of water. However, the Azov Fish Protection Patrol of the State Fisheries Agency, using information posted online about the volumes of fish caught by the Russian forces, has estimated the damages caused to Ukraine's fisheries in the Sea of Azov in accordance with legal requirements.
According to preliminary calculations, the damages caused to Ukraine's fisheries due to the illegal fishing by Russian forces (including Azov sturgeon, glossa, barbulus, anchovies, pilengas, sargan, scad, taran, pike-perch, herring, smelt, shrimp, etc.) in the Sea of Azov amount to over 4.1 billion UAH. These damages were caused by Russian poachers as follows:
- In 2022 – 194.4 million UAH;
- In 2023 – 367 million UAH;
- In the first 9 months of 2024 – 3.584 billion UAH.
The Azov Fish Protection Patrol of the State Fisheries Agency has sent this information to the Berdyansk District Police Department in the Zaporizhzhia region for inclusion in the criminal proceedings initiated under Part 1 of Article 249 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine.
Currently, the Azov Fish Protection Patrol, together with other law enforcement agencies, continues to monitor cases of illegal fishing by Russian poachers in the Sea of Azov basin.
