In 2010, border policemen seized 20,965 kg fish, out of which 110 kg. sturgeon, as well as 96.7 kg. roe held and transported by different persons - in most cases by Romanian citizens - which of did not have documents of origin or which obtained the fish through poaching.
At the same time, following the actions carried out in the competence area, 133 boats, 38 motor boats, 356,298 m. monofilament nets, 3,347 s.m. trawls and 1,168 other fishing gears.
The biggest fish quantity - 8,847 kg., out of which 110 kg. sturgeon - was seized by border policemen within the County Inspectorate of Border Police Tulcea.
On the persons who infringed the law in force, depending on the seriousness of the deed, criminal files were opened for committing fish poaching or small offence sanctions were imposed.
Thus, in 11 months of year 2010, our colleagues ascertained in the border areas 925 fish poaching crimes and 1,262 small offences and the value of the fines amounted to 223,390 lei.
In the same period of 2009, 93 boats, 32 motor boats, 63,623 m. monofilament nets, 900 s.m. of trawls, 229 s.m. trammels, 678 other fishing gears, 22,673 kg. fish (149.750 kg. sturgeon) and 681.130 kg. roe were seized and 1,047 fish poaching crimes and 2,047 small offences amounting to 344,550 lei were ascertained.
The main motivation of those who deal with fish poaching - in the prohibition periods, without authorization or with fishing gears prohibited by law - is, in the first place, the raising of substantial, non-taxable profits and with a minimum effort, ignoring the specific legislation and bringing great prejudices to the existing fish resources.
The Romanian Border Police shall continue to carry out specific activities, in cooperation with the competent authorities, for countering this phenomenon, using technical equipments and organizing control filters in the competence areas.
Out of the most representative cases we mention:
Turkish fishing vessels retained with gunshots
by border policemen from Constanta
On 02.04.2010, around 18.30, MAI 1101 vessel detected, at a
distance of approximately 60 sea miles from Sfantu Gheorghe area, a
fishing vessel, which at the moment of interception had a Romanian
flag and on the vessel's side plating the name KARACA-2 was
inscribed.
The vessel was detained and brought to Constanta Port for checking.
Aboard was a crew of 14 persons who did not posses identity
documents and who declared they were Turkish citizens. The ship
commander declared that the ship was registered in Ukraine, but the
documents attesting this are in Istanbul. Upon the check performed
aboard ray fishing nets and materials for fish storage (ice boxes)
were discovered.
The ship commander was placed under investigations for committing
the crimes of illegitimate raising of the Romanian flag and
illegitimate raising of a flag of a country other than that
registered in the nationality document and for committing the crime
of not-holding fishing licence and fishing authorization for boats
and vessels, documents issued by the National Agency for Fishing
and Aquaculture.
Another action with the same specific was carried out by MAI 1104
vessel, which intercepted a fishing vessel which had on its side
plating the name CAPTAN SEYFULLAH OGULLARY and which launched
fishing nets in the Romanian territorial waters, approximately 66
sea miles from the Romanian shore, in Tuzla area.
The Border Police requested the respective fishing vessel to stop,
but the latter did not respond and it was necessary the use of
radio, voice and bright signals, after which following the refusal
of the ship to stop for control, 15 fires with maneuver cartridges
cal. 7,62 mm., were shot on vertical level.
Following the summons, the fishing vessel stopped and carried out a
preliminary control on board, where several fishing nets and fish
storage materials (ice boxes) were found.
The ship commander could not produce the legal documents (licence,
fishing authorization) for commercial fishing activities in the
Romanian territorial waters.
A person from Tulcea transporting a white
sturgeon over 60 kg., stopped with gunshots by border policemen
Within an action on the line of fighting fish poaching, border
policemen from Tulcea were impelled to use their weapons in order
to retain a young person who was transporting in his personal
vehicle a white sturgeon of 63 kg., and who was not able to justify
its origin with documents foreseen by the legislation force.
Tuesday, on 06.04.2010, around 10.30 o'clock, border policemen from
B.P. Sector Isaccea made regular signals for stopping to check a
vehicle Mazda, registered in the Republic of Bulgaria, which was
travelling from Grindu towards Garvan.
Because the driver of the vehicle refused to stop our border
policemen sett off to pursue the vehicle using acoustic and optical
signals. He did not stop at the second filter placed on the county
road 251 and sped up towards Grindu.
In order to retain him, border policemen used their weapons
shooting three fires on vertical level and one at the level of the
tires.
Following the action, Mirel C., aged 24, residing in Grindu, was
retained and upon the check of the vehicle, in the boot a fresh
white sturgeon of 63 kg. for which the holder did not possess legal
documents of origin was found.
The young man stated that he found the sturgeon in an irrigation
channel near the agricultural terrain he owns in the area.
Following the ascertained deeds, border policemen have opened on
the name of the person preliminary documents for starting the
criminal investigations on the commission of the crime of holding,
transporting and trading of sturgeons, sturgeon products and
subproducts without legal documents or justifying legal documents,
and its vehicle was taken at the premises of County Inspectorate of
Border Police Isaccea.
The sturgeon with a value of 3,000 lei was handed over based on
paper of receipt to a trade company, until the completion of
investigations.
Fish poaching on Babadag lake
On 20.10.2010, border policemen from Tulcea detected a person who
was transporting 515 kg. fish without holding the documents
foreseen by the legislation in force.
In the framework of an action on the line of fighting fish
poaching, border policemen within the Office for Fighting
Cross-border crime from C.I.B.P. Tulcea detected within the radius
of Tulcea, Dumitru I., aged 50, who was transporting with a Dacia
vehicle, 515 kg. fresh fish.
The man stated he had found the fish thrown in the reed surrounding
Babadag lake and intended to transport it to his domicile.
On the concerned person, preliminary documents for criminal
investigation were open for committing the crime of detaining and
transportation of fish without legal documents.
The fish amounting to 2,000 lei, was handed over to a trade company
and the vehicle was taken to the premises of County Inspectorate of
Border Police Tulcea, until the completion of investigations.