21 January 2010, 11:58
The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine upheld the amendments suggested by Mykola Tomenko, Deputy Chairman of The Verkhovna Rada, to the Law "On Amendments to certain Acts of Ukraine appertaining to Hunting, Protection, Use and Reproduction of the Fauna" (Reg. No.1154) regarding enhancement of responsibility for the use of electric current by fishing.
M.Tomenko stated: "Poaching with the use of barbarian methods of mass extermination of fish, animals or other species of fauna has recently acquired such threatening dimensions that the legislators were obliged to respond, adopting a corresponding legislative act".
Supported by the public fishing associations, M.Tomenko initiated strengthening of criminal responsibility for the illegal fishing with the use of explosives, poison and electric current.
"Electrical fishing sterilizes the water body, killing and injuring everything live in the range of electric current. The damage exceeds all the other factors of negative influence: contamination by wastewater or pollution of the banks", - M.Tomenko stated.