The fishing ban in the Skadar Lake National Park began today and will last until May 15.
During this period, the Public Enterprise for National Parks of Montenegro (JPNPCG) will organize a campaign called "Stop poaching", which aims to raise awareness among citizens about the harm of illegal fishing and the importance of preserving the fish stock in the Skadar Lake National Park.
"Observance of the fishing ban is very important in this period, because from March to May, cyprinid (warm water) fish species retreat to more suitable and shallower parts of Skadar Lake due to reproduction. Illegal fishing has far-reaching consequences for the biodiversity of Skadar Lake NP, because in this way unscrupulous fishermen cause damage to the entire flora and fauna in the area where illegal fishing is carried out," the JPNPCG announced.
The "Stop poaching" campaign is aimed at all users of the area, with a special emphasis on the residents of GO Tuzi and Golubovci, as well as the municipalities of Bar, Cetinje, Podgorica, Tuzi, Zeta, whose residents are the most frequent users of the territory of this park.
"The protection of biodiversity and the cultural and historical values of the parks is one of the basic tasks of the Public Enterprise for National Parks of Montenegro, and the supervisors of the Protection Service play a very important role in that process. Bearing in mind that the Skadar Lake NP occupies 40.000 hectares, and that controlling and preventing illegal fishing is only one of the tasks of the supervisors employed in the Protection Service, as well as the protection of this area from all illegal activities is a big challenge, the participation of all interested entities such as the local population, fishing associations, tourist agencies that run their business is very important attached to the area of this park, nature lovers in the preservation, protection and improvement of this protected area. For more than a year, we have been intensively working and carrying out activities to eradicate the bad practices of illegal fishing in Skadar Lake NP, and the results are already visible on the ground," he said on the occasion beginning of the fishing ban, JPNPCG director Vladimir Martinović.
JPNPCG stated that during the campaign, special attention will be devoted to the education of children and young people, and workshops for students will be organized in the Visitor Centers in Vranjina and Virpazar.
JPNPCG appeals and invites citizens to report poaching or any other form of illegal activity in the park area to the Call Center phone number 067 000 825.
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