A major law enforcement operation in Russia’s remote Far East has exposed significant illegal salmon poaching on the Kamchatka Peninsula, a region renowned for its pristine wilderness and vital fish populations. In a joint effort, local police and the Federal Agency for Fishery have launched a series of raids to combat the illicit harvesting of wild salmon, a cornerstone of the region’s unique ecosystem.
The crackdown, part of an annual operation codenamed “Putina” which coincides with the salmon spawning season, has already led to the initiation of five criminal cases. Authorities report that the combined environmental damage from these incidents has surpassed one million rubles (approximately $11,000 USD), highlighting the serious economic and ecological impact of the black-market fishing trade in this protected area.
In one of the most significant busts in the Yelizovsky district, authorities detained a 22-year-old local resident for illegally catching over 167 kilograms of valuable coho and chum salmon using a large 45-meter net. The damage from this single act was estimated at nearly 370,000 rubles and has been classified by officials as a crime of an “especially large scale,” prompting a full criminal investigation.
Violations were not isolated, with similar illegal activities being uncovered in the regional capital of Petropavlovsk-Kamchatsky and the Ust-Bolsheretsky district. To enhance their effectiveness, law enforcement agencies utilized modern surveillance technology, including unmanned aerial vehicles (drones), to patrol the vast and often inaccessible river systems, underscoring the ongoing battle to protect one of the world’s most important wild salmon sanctuaries.