Spawning ban? Never heard of it: 83 nets, 7 boats and the fish they had caught were seized from poachers
Almost 700 kg of fish and dozens of nets: what was seized during raids on the water bodies of Mykolaiv region
On the territory of Mykolaiv Oblast from 1 April to 19 June 2026, preventive measures continue within the spawning ban on the catching of aquatic biological resources. This was reported on 23 May 2026 by the police of Mykolaiv Oblast.
During this period, the water police units operate in an enhanced mode together with representatives of the fisheries protection patrol and ecologists. They check waterbodies daily both from the shore and from the water to detect poachers and violators of fishing rules. The main goal of such raids – to preserve aquatic biological resources during the spawning period. It is during spawning that illegal catching does particular damage, as it destroys not only the current catch but also the future recovery of fish stocks.
As of 22 May, during joint raids on the waterways of Mykolaiv Oblast, law enforcement officers recorded 26 incidents of illegal fishing. For these violations administrative reports were drawn up under Art.85 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses (КУпАП) – violation of the rules governing the use of wildlife. During checks the police seized 83 nets and 7 boats. The weight of the aquatic biological resources caught illegally amounted to almost 100 kg.
Separately, law enforcement officers also checked the sale of live biological resources at markets. Against persons who sold such products, 8 reports were filed under Art.88-1 of the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses (КУпАП) – violation of the procedure for the acquisition or sale of animal or plant world objects, as well as the rules for keeping wild animals in captivity or semi-free conditions. During these measures, more than 600 kg of fish were seized at markets. All seized property and biological resources were handed over by the police to the fisheries protection authority for safekeeping.
The police remind that violations of the spawning ban entail both administrative and criminal liability. For illegal fishing during this period offenders may face not only a fine, but also imprisonment for up to three years, as well as mandatory compensation for the damages caused. Law enforcement urges citizens to follow the established rules and report violations of fishing rules or illegal sale of fish by calling 102.
In Mykolaiv Oblast the poaching problem remains systemic. Earlier on the Southern Bug illegal fishing during the spawning ban was already recorded with damages in the hundreds of thousands of hryvnias, and in some cases poachers lost not only fish and nets but also faced criminal proceedings and large compensation amounts.
Earlier we wrote:
- Three poachers caught on the Southern Bug: catch worth 322 thousand UAH during the spawning ban
- Caught crayfish – residents of Mykolaiv Oblast face a hefty fine or three years in prison
- Fishing with consequences: boat and poachers’ catch seized in Mykolaiv
- In Mykolaiv district a fisherman was detained with a catch worth 300 thousand UAH
- Caught not fish but trouble: in Mykolaiv Oblast caught with 120 kg without papers
