In Azerbaijan, this ban comes into force on May 1

Due to the fish spawning period, a moratorium on fishing in all water bodies of the country comes into force from May 1, 2025, which will last until September 1.

BAKU.WS reports that this was announced by the head of the Biological Diversity Protection Service Khalig Mirzaev.

The head of the service called on all individuals and legal entities engaged in fishing to follow the rules, refrain from fishing during prohibited times and with prohibited means:

"Individuals and legal entities engaged in industrial fishing must ensure the removal of all fishing gear from natural water bodies by May 1, otherwise keeping fishing gear in water bodies will be considered a violation of the law, and disciplinary measures will be applied against these persons in accordance with legislation.

For violation of the rules for fishing and other aquatic bioresources, including their illegal catch, the guilty persons are liable in the manner prescribed by the Code of Administrative Offenses of the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Criminal Code of the Republic of Azerbaijan".

According to Kh. Mirzaev, in order to prevent illegal fishing, employees of the State Environmental Security Service and the Biological Diversity Protection Service of the Ministry of Ecology and Natural Resources, as well as the Water Transport Police Department of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, regularly conduct control measures in the country's inland water bodies and take appropriate measures against persons engaged in illegal fishing.