A Ukrainian was detained in Warsaw after catching a catfish that locals considered the legend of the pond

In Warsaw, police detained a 57-year-old citizen of Ukraine who is suspected of catching a large catfish from the Balaton pond in the Gocław district. This is not the well-known Lake Balaton in Hungary, but a waterbody of the same name in the capital of Poland. The story gained attention after videos and reports about possible poaching in the middle of Warsaw appeared on social media.

The incident took place on 30 May 2026. According to Polish media, two men were moving around the Balaton pond in a pedal boat. One of them had a fishing rod with which he pulled a 183-centimeter-long catfish out of the water. This fish was well known to local residents. The catfish had lived in the pond for about 20 years and had an almost “legendary” status among neighborhood inhabitants. Local anglers had previously caught this specimen, but then released it back into the pond.

This time, as Polish media write, the fish was not returned to the water. According to eyewitnesses, the catfish, deprived of access to water, ended up in the trunk of a car and was then taken away in an unknown direction. Social media users who said they were at the scene claimed that the men’s actions provoked outrage among witnesses. People allegedly protested that the fish was not released, but the men did not respond to the remarks.

Later, the District Police Team VII in Warsaw reported that a man who may be connected to the case has already been detained. It concerns a 57-year-old citizen of Ukraine. Police spokeswoman Joanna Wengzhyniak noted that law enforcement began actions after reports in the media.

Investigators must now establish all the circumstances of the incident. The police do not yet speak about the final legal consequences for the detainee, as the investigation is still ongoing. At the same time, law enforcement officers assume that the case may involve the catching of fish during a closed season, when it was not permitted to catch the catfish. The police also do not rule out examining the version of cruel treatment of an animal due to transporting the fish without access to water.

“We can assume that we will be dealing with a situation in which this person caught this fish during the protection period, when the catfish was under protection and it was inappropriate to catch it, and we can suspect that we will also have to deal with cruel treatment of animals due to transporting the fish without access to water”, – said Joanna Wengzhyniak.

In Warsaw, the catfish protection period runs from 1 January to 31 May. The incident itself, according to Polish media reports, occurred on 30 May 2026, that is, still during the ban.

Recall, earlier we wrote:

• One day — and out of the country: a Ukrainian deported from Poland after traffic violations
• A Ukrainian expelled from Poland after a trip to a kindergarten: over 2 per mille in the body and a child in the car
• In Poland, Ukrainians are being mass detained and expelled
• In central Warsaw, a 27-year-old Pole attacked a Ukrainian with a knife in a tram
• Fishing with consequences: in Mykolaiv, a boat and poachers’ catch were seized