Fishing enterprises of Vilkovo (Odessa region) cannot start the season of catching Danube herring because of delayed approval of limits by the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture, said the chairman of the Danube Fishing Association Larisa Shchelokova to the publication “Yug Segodnya”.
The head of the association noted that despite the lots for fishing, which were drawn in December 2025, and permits from the State Fishery Agency, which were received in January this year, the actual entry into the water is impossible without the approval of the Ministry of Economy for the Danube Biosphere Reserve. The process is hampered by lengthy correspondence from Ukrposhta and new requirements to provide catch statistics for the last 10 years.
“This is some kind of disaster. The ministry sends replies, demanding statistics that no one keeps for so long. All correspondence takes place exclusively “Ukrposhta”, letters lie unregistered for weeks, and the countdown of the term of consideration begins only after that”, – said Shchelokova.
She added that after receiving the ministerial limits, fishermen have to pass another stage – obtaining permits from the Department of Ecology of the Odessa Regional Military Administration (OMA), where the period of consideration of documents also reaches about a month.
According to the Association’s forecasts, under such conditions, it is possible to go fishing not earlier than the end of March, which actually means the loss of half of the season, which lasts until mid-April.
Now 11 enterprises (about 200 boats and 400 fishermen) are ready to work in Vilkovo. At the same time, Romanian colleagues on the same territory of the reserve have already started fishing without any administrative obstacles.
The Danube Fishermen’s Association appealed for help to the Izmail District Military Administration, but as of the end of February it had not received a response.
