The State Duma has imposed a ban on the barbaric fishing of marine mammals by dealers
The State Duma of the Russian Federation adopted today in the first reading a bill banning the industrial fishing of whales, dolphins and porpoises.
The Russian government submitted the bill to the State Duma for consideration, reports a PolitNavigator correspondent.
As follows from the draft law, it may establish more stringent regimes for limiting or regulating fishing in the exclusive economic zone of the Russian Federation, even banning fishing for certain species.
The issue of banning the fishing of marine mammals for industrial purposes was raised after the discovery of a “whale prison” with hundreds of beluga whales and killer whales in the Far East in 2018. The animals caught under illegal quotas were going to be sold to China. The public, parliamentarians, and scientists got involved in solving the problem.
“Whale Prison” is the former adaptation center for marine mammals “TINRO-Center” in Srednyaya Bay, Primorsky Territory. There were 11 killer whales and 90 beluga whales, which were captured from summer to autumn 2018 by several private companies (Afalina LLC, Oceanarium DV, White Whale and Sochi Dolphinarium) allegedly for cultural and educational purposes.
The story of the “whale prison” caused a great stir in Russia. On February 22, 2019, Russian President Vladimir Putin instructed the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ministry of Agriculture of Russia, together with scientists, to decide the fate of the animals kept in Srednyaya Bay in Primorye. They were released in 2019.
Until recently, Russia was the largest supplier of cetaceans to oceanariums, dolphinariums and zoos in the world.
The State Duma has banned the barbaric fishing of marine mammals by traffickers.