Fines of over 110,000 lei have been imposed for poaching over the last three months. According to the Pisciculture Service, the number of violations committed this year is higher than last year.

Constantin Coser, division head at the Pisciculture Service, has told IPN that 342 violations were recorded in the period when fishing was banned, up from 325 violations last year. The Border Police in the period imposed fines on 192 persons and confiscated different banned tools, including over 7,000 meters of net.

Chairman of the Hunters and Fishermen Association of Moldova Oleg Ciocoi said the number of violations is on the rise as the fishing net costs only 1 leu per meter. In all the European states, this net is banned. The seine is used there to catch a larger volume of fish.

According to Oleg Ciocoi, the fines of only 200 to 400 lei should be increased ten times so as to combat poaching.