Patrols along the waterways of the western Kamchatka Peninsula have been intensified during the Pacific salmon spawning season. Inspectors from the North-Eastern Territorial Administration of the Federal Agency for Fishery – working alongside patrol units from the Bolshaya River Association of Fishing Industrialists – are conducting joint operations to combat illegal fishing.
During the first two months of the fish migration, participants in these joint operations spent more than 3,000 hours on the water. Inspectors conducted approximately 1,100 compliance checks and 600 dedicated raids. These efforts resulted in the seizure of 120 kilograms of illegally harvested fish, 27 fishing nets, and four motorboats. Authorities issued 212 administrative violation protocols against offenders and initiated four criminal cases. Surveillance on spawning rivers will be further increased during the peak periods of the salmon run.
Rivers on the western coast of Kamchatka, specifically the Bolshaya and Opala river basins, experience high anthropogenic pressure due to the transport accessibility of their spawning grounds. The protection of these waterways directly impacts the reproduction of wild salmon populations. The volume of these populations determines both the ecological balance of the region and the stability of the local fishing industry. Uncontrolled harvesting during the spawning period has the potential to significantly deplete fish stocks within a specific river basin in just a few years.
The Bolshaya River Association was established in 2016 by local fishing companies to counter illegal harvesting. The coalition currently comprises ten major specialized enterprises operating within the region. Through collaborative work, industry representatives and state inspectors have successfully increased the volume of salmon reaching spawning grounds and reduced the activity of illegal fishing groups on the rivers of western Kamchatka.