Translated with AI
Employees of the Department of Ecology and Tourism of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Tajikistan have uncovered illegal aquatic animal hunting on the Kofarnikhan River in the Rudaki district. This was reported by the Ministry of Internal Affairs.
As noted, law enforcement agencies continue to carry out targeted measures to prevent poaching and illegal fishing during the spawning season.
According to the Ministry of Internal Affairs, on June 12, 2026, during operational activities, a case of illegal fishing was established in the territory of the Esanboy rural jamoat of the Rudaki district.
Residents of the city of Gissar are suspected of committing the offense: Ashurov Buriboy Makhmasaidovich, born in 1990, previously convicted under Article 234 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Tajikistan, Ashurov Jamshed Makhmadsaidovich and Karimov Manuchehr Mirzoyusufovich.
According to investigators, the men used a homemade electric fishing device connected to an electrical wire in the Kofarnikhan River. This reportedly killed 1,013 marinka fish, causing significant environmental damage.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs noted that, according to Tajik law, catching aquatic animals using electrical devices and chemicals is a criminal offense. Such fishing methods destroy not only fish but also their eggs and the offspring of other aquatic animals, leading to a decline in their numbers.
An investigation is underway into this incident. Those detained face criminal liability under Article 230 of the Criminal Code of the Republic of Tajikistan, which provides for punishment for the illegal harvesting of aquatic animals.
The Ministry of Internal Affairs also noted that the republic's government is implementing state programs to develop fish farming and create fish farms to supply the domestic market with fish products, and that such instances of poaching hinder the implementation of these initiatives.
