332 cases of illegal fishing registered in Georgia in six months

The Environmental Supervision Department of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Agriculture of Georgia  said 332 cases of illegal fishing had been detected across the country between January 1 and June 30.

Of the overall number, 140 cases are suspected to involve criminal offences, the body added.

It said poachers used illegal fishing tools such as nets and electric shock devices, with the illegally harvested fish weighing in at over 243 kg.

The Department said it had removed over 2,400 metres of house nets, more than 200 metres of fishing nets and more than 31 units of fishing gear in the first half of the year in the western regions of Adjara and Guria, eastern region of Mtskheta-Mtianeti and the ​​Tbilisi Sea area in the Georgian capital.