Catching whales and dolphins for sale is prohibited

The Russian Federation has banned commercial and coastal catch of cetaceans, including dolphins, whales, killer whales, beluga whales and harbor porpoises. Such a law of December 30, 2021 № 486 comes into force on January 10.

As a general rule, sea animals can be hunted according to quotas issued by the Federal Agency for Fishery. The new law introduces a ban on industrial and coastal fishing for cetaceans. In addition, it allows you to limit the catch of marine mammals in the exclusive economic zone of the Russian Federation, up to the prohibition of hunting certain species of animals.

This decision is a step forward, since now the prohibition to hunt cetaceans for industrial purposes is enshrined in national legislation, and not only in international treaties, said Vladimir Burmatov, First Deputy Chairman of the State Duma Committee on Ecology, Natural Resources and Environmental Protection.

“And the next step is to prohibit the fishing of marine mammals for the so-called cultural and educational purposes. This must be done, since such a catch becomes a screen for a cynical, cruel, but very profitable business. This is the reason for the emergence of a whale prison in Primorye - beluga whales and killer whales were also caught there, allegedly for cultural and entertainment purposes, "he told Parlamentskaya Gazeta earlier.

A group of deputies, including Vladimir Burmatov, has already submitted to the State Duma a bill (№ 40333-8), which prohibits the hunting of whales, dolphins and porpoises for cultural and educational purposes.

Recall that the "whale prison" in the Srednyaya Bay in the Primorsky Territory was discovered in 2018. The enclosures contained about a hundred killer whales and beluga whales, possibly intended for sale abroad. Cases were initiated on illegal fishing of aquatic biological resources and cruelty to animals.

President Vladimir Putin drew attention to the current situation and instructed the Ministry of Natural Resources and the Ministry of Agriculture, together with scientists, to decide the fate of marine mammals. The animals were released in several batches into the Sea of ​​Okhotsk and the Sea of ​​Japan.

Judging by the data of GPS trackers attached to mammals at the suggestion of the deputies, the prisoners of the "whale prison" managed to adapt in freedom, said Vladimir Burmatov. On December 30, the Prosecutor General's Office announced that the floating structures containing belugas and killer whales had been dismantled.

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