Law enforcement officers detained two men on the Avacha River in the Kamchatka Peninsula for the illegal harvesting of aquatic biological resources. The suspects, aged 38 and 46, were apprehended after catching a total of 15 sockeye and chum salmon.
The illegal catch resulted in an estimated 100,000 rubles in environmental damages. A criminal case has been initiated under the Russian Criminal Code pertaining to the illegal extraction of aquatic resources. If convicted, the suspects face a maximum penalty of up to five years in prison.
Financial penalties for illegal fishing in Kamchatka are strictly enforced on a per-fish basis – regardless of the size or weight of the specimen. The standardized fines are set at 11,575 rubles for sockeye salmon, 10,635 rubles for chinook and coho salmon, 2,009 rubles for chum salmon, 961 rubles for pink salmon, and 925 rubles for char. Furthermore, the environmental damage rate for poached red caviar is calculated at 27,455 rubles per kilogram.