Russia's new federal regulations for Volga-Caspian basin's fisheries

The fishery regulations for Volga-Caspian Basin approved by the Federal Fisheries Agency on 13 January 2009 have come into force on 5 April 2009 one month after the start of the spring season, reports www.fishnet-russia.com (https://www.fishnet.ru/).

The document stipulates terms and grounds where the fishing operations are completely banned. In particular, from 1 April to 30 June fishery of crayfish is prohibited all over Astrakhan region, from 20 April to 20 June the fishermen are not allowed to harvest any fish except for within the borders of settlements or on the fishing grounds allocated for amateur and recreational fishery.

According to the regulation, any commercial fisheries are banned on the territory of Enotayevsky, Kharabalinsky and Chernoyarsky districts. For amateur fishermen the weight restriction (the previous regulations allowed catches of no more than 5 kilos per one fisherman) has been changed into a restriction by fish length. For instance, the allowed length of freshwater catfish is 60 cm, asp - 32 cm, pike perch - 40 cm, etc.