Shrimp, gobies and crabs: illegal fishing exposed in the Black Sea in the Mykolaiv region

Illegal harvesting of aquatic biological resources was uncovered on the shores of the Black Sea near the village of Luhove in Mykolaiv Raion of Mykolaiv Oblast.

This was reported on June 9, 2026 by the State Environmental Inspectorate of the South-Western District.

According to the inspectorate, the violation was established by state inspectors for environmental protection together with personnel of military unit VSP 26 of the 26th Border Detachment of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine.

The violation was discovered on June 5 during environmental protection activities. The site recorded the use of prohibited fishing gear — three yaters.

These gear were used to carry out illegal harvesting of aquatic biological resources without the appropriate special-use permit.

As a result of the inspection, inspectors found illegally caught aquatic resources: 632 shrimp, 8 gobies, 1 glos and 6 crabs.

On this fact, state inspectors drew up a protocol on an administrative offense under Part 4 of Article 85 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses (КУпАП). The case materials are to be sent to the district court.

The calculation of damage caused to Ukraine’s fisheries was carried out in accordance with Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine Resolution No. 1042 dated September 29, 2023.

The total amount of damage caused to the state as a result of the illegal harvesting of aquatic living resources in the Black Sea amounts to over 19 thousand hryvnias.

Previously we wrote:

• Caught not fish but trouble: a hapless fisherman in Mykolaiv Oblast was fined over 700 thousand
• Spawning ban? Never heard of it: poachers had 83 nets, 7 watercraft and their catch seized
• Fishing with consequences: in Mykolaiv a poachers’ boat and catch were seized
• In Mykolaiv Raion a fisherman was detained with a catch worth 300 thousand
• Caught with a net: a fisherman near Korenykha was hit with 110 thousand