NPCG: Prohibition of fishing in NP Skadar Lake from March 15

The fishing ban in the Skadar Lake National Park begins on Monday, March 15, 2021, and will last until May 15, 2021, according to the announcement of the National Parks of Montenegro (NPCG).

As they said, during this two-month period it is forbidden to catch all types of fish and other aquatic organisms, except eel.

"It is about the period when cyprinid (warm water) fish species retreat to the shallower and warmer parts of Skadar Lake due to reproduction, and it is necessary to protect them from hunting and at the same time enable unhindered spawning," said the NPCG.

The announcement also states that in order to protect the fish stock, the National Parks of Montenegro have prepared better compared to previous years, bearing in mind that the capacities of the Skadar Lake NP Protection Service have been strengthened both in terms of personnel and technology.

"And in this way we want to send a message that we will not tolerate any form of illegal activity in the protected area and that poaching will be prevented to the greatest extent possible," the NPCG announced.

As they said, catching fish during the fishing ban is a criminal offense.

"Taking into account the expected increased pressure on the fish stock by unscrupulous users of this protected natural resource, the National Parks of Montenegro are organizing an environmental campaign during the hunting season under the slogan - Stop poaching!", said the NPCG.

The goal of this campaign, they say, is to raise citizens' awareness of the importance of preserving and sustainably developing the fish stock in the National Park and preventing poaching, which negatively affects the entire flora and fauna of Lake Skadar.

"In this direction, the National Parks of Montenegro expect active action and the undertaking of all actions and measures defined by law by the competent state authorities, as well as the NGO sector, which are included in the fish stock protection system," the announcement states.

At the same time, they said that they equally expect the full support of all conscientious users of the National Park area, above all, registered fishermen, in order to achieve the highest level of physical protection of that water body in the joint fight against poaching, adding that during the period of the fishing ban, NPCG, in cooperation with interested subjects, to implement a series of activities in order to contribute to the suppression of this negative phenomenon.

"We emphasize that, not only during the period of the fishing ban, but also continuously, the support of all media and citizens is very important in spreading the mission of preserving the most important values ​​of Montenegrin national parks," NPCG concluded.