Fishermen responsible for causing over 1 billion sums in environmental damage were identified

Illegal fishing activities in Surkhandarya have resulted in over 1 billion soums in environmental damage, according to a report from the Ministry of Ecology, Environmental Protection, and Climate Change.

During the investigation, it was discovered that residents of the Tamaddun neighborhood, identified as Q. Sh., I. Sh., Kh. B., and G. Sh., had engaged in illegal fishing in the portion of the Surkhandarya River flowing through the Shurchi district. The offenders were found to have caught 182 silver mullets (karas), 37 island oil fish, and 2 Samarkand khramulya (tupak) fish using a prohibited method—an electric fishing rod.

"In violation of Article 24 of the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan 'On the Protection and Use of the Animal World,' the damage caused to the wildlife was calculated. It was determined that the damage amounted to 1 billion 439 million 900 thousand soums," the report stated.

All collected documents have been forwarded to the regional prosecutor's office for legal assessment and to recover the damages caused to the wildlife.

It was also reported that since the beginning of the year, approximately 300 individuals have been penalized for illegal hunting activities.