Almost 35 km of nets and about 2 tons of fish were seized from poachers in the Vitebsk region in January-June

July 28, Vitebsk / Diana Kurilo - BELTA /. Almost 35 km of nets and about 2 tons of fish were seized from poachers in the Vitebsk region by employees of inter-district inspectorates for the protection of fauna and flora over six months, the Vitebsk Regional Inspectorate for the Protection of Fauna and Flora informed a BELTA correspondent. Over the past six months, more than 1.3 thousand raids were conducted, during which over 1.6 thousand violations of environmental legislation were detected. Moreover, the majority (about 1 thousand) relate to violations of fishing rules. The second most common violations concern the non-fulfillment of forestry rules, followed by violations of hunting rules. As noted by the inspectorate, more offenses with signs of criminal acts have been detected this year. If in January-June 2009, 74 such acts were recorded, then in the first half of the current year - 87, of which criminal cases were initiated in 81 cases. According to the regional inspectorate, the amount of damage caused to nature is estimated at almost Br336 million. The total amount of fines imposed on offenders amounted to almost Br400 million. Inspectors note that "obvious violations of environmental legislation are decreasing, but poaching has become covert." Increasingly, these crimes occur at night, special equipment is used for their commission, and poachers track the movements of inspectors. In this regard, inter-district inspectorates are equipped with night vision devices, radio and mobile communication equipment, and video cameras for recording crimes. In the Vitebsk region, in addition to the regional inspectorate for the protection of fauna and flora, there are 10 inter-district inspectorates, employing 48 inspectors. -0-