In the Skadar Lake National Park this year, there are 70 percent fewer illegal activities compared to the same period last year, said the director of the National Parks of Montenegro (NPCG), Vladimir Martinović.
He said that the activities, which were started as part of the "Stop Poaching" campaign, had an impact on poachers.
Martinović believes that poachers are discouraged from committing acts against the approach this year, due to intensive controls and determination of competent authorities, as well as the support of the Environmental Protection Agency and the non-governmental sector.
"According to the data of NP Skadar Lake, since March 15, 86 nets, 41 pairs, one air gun, two outboard motors, three vessels, five lamps, 13 batteries, two tools, nine converters, one osti, two reservoirs, four jackets, one reflector," Martinović told the MINA agency.
He recalled that one of the largest seizures of illegal means used for fishing was recently organized.
Martinović pointed out that the removal of illegally placed rafts and structures, which are most often used for poaching, is being considered, adding that the owners of these structures will be given a reasonable deadline to remove the structures from state property.
He assessed that the results of their employees' efforts to prevent poaching in order to preserve the wealth of the Skadar Lake National Park are already visible.
"And they are another indicator of the company's willingness to put an end to illegal activities in that protected area, which speaks to the fact that this year there are 70 percent fewer illegal activities on Lake Skadar compared to last year," added Martinović.
He said that the NP will do its best to protect the most valuable resources of Montenegro.
"All those who are determined to continue with illegal activities will meet our determination to prosecute them and criminal proceedings will be initiated against them," said Martinović.
He announced that in this period last year, 14 reports against 14 people were submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management - Freshwater Fisheries Inspection, while four reports against five people were submitted to the Basic State Prosecutor's Office (ODT).
"In the period from March 15 to April 19, two reports were submitted to the ODT against two people, and two reports against unknown persons," said Martinović.
He said that poaching in NP Skadar Lake is a multi-decade problem, adding that the struggle to preserve the lake is a process that will last and in which all instances must be involved - from the NPCG Protection Service, through the services of the NPCG company, then the police, inspection bodies, prosecutor's office and courts.
"When we talk about illegal fishing, we can say that it is an organized action that is well thought out and planned, with the aim of obtaining material benefits at the expense of the biodiversity of the national park," said Martinović.
He said that, from the moment he assumed the duties of NPCG director, he stressed his determination to put an end to all illegal activities in protected areas.
"I know that this task will not be easy at all, but with the cooperation of all state authorities, I think we can do a lot so that our country can truly bear the epithet "ecological", Martinović assessed.
He pointed out that the mild penal policy must be tightened in the coming period in order to show zero tolerance towards eco-crime.
"The "Stop poaching" campaign that we launched in March showed in which direction we should go, strengthen cooperation and influence changes so that acts against nature are sanctioned and hopefully eradicated," said Martinović.
As Martinović announced, the "Stop Poaching" campaign showed that citizens are very interested in the activities of NPCG, as well as that they are aware of what is happening in their neighborhood and will not turn a blind eye to irregularities and illegalities.
According to him, the NPCG call center is often called by citizens in order to get a wide variety of information regarding the parks, but also to report illegalities and irregularities that they see.
"When it comes to reports - on a weekly basis, there are usually about five calls, which are most often related to illegal hunting and waste disposal," said Martinović.
He said that the support of the citizens additionally obliges them to take even more decisive and powerful activities regarding the protection of the most valuable areas of Montenegro.
Martinović said that they are particularly focused on raising awareness of the importance of preserving national parks, and therefore education.
"We especially think of the youngest so that they can acquire knowledge about the importance of protected areas and their preservation from an early age, because we believe that if we point out the harmful effects of poaching to children from an early age, we will have good collaborators in that fight in the future," concluded Martinović.
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