Environment Ministry installs special devices to suspend illegal fishing

The Ministry of Environment of Georgia will install special devices at lakes and rivers in Georgia to suspend illegal types of fishing with electric shock apparatus.

The new devices provided by the Ministry could identify the electric shock apparatus in a 100 meter radius and send immediate messages online to the Supervisory Department of the Ministry of Environment.

The device has already been tested in Rustavi's Central Park Lake.

The testing process was attended by the Minister officials and Georgian inventers of the device.

The inventors had been cooperating with the Ministry to create the special device for six months.

The Ministry believed the device would decrease illegal fishing to minimum and help protect the environment.

There are still many people in Georgia who send electric waves into the water and instantly kill hundreds and thousands of fish, then sell them and earn money.

Such actions are damaging to the environment, especially to rare breeds of fish.

Unfortunately, Georgian attitudes towards the environment still need to be changed.

During the Soviet era, people believed that everything was owned by the government, and if they polluted the environment they believed they polluted the area of the Soviet government; if people stole, they believed they stole something from the government. There was little sense of a homeland.

This attitude was only found amongst some sections of society – and still is – butthis part is enough for polluting, illegal fishing, hunting and so on.

As some people in Georgia still lack a sense of social responsibility, the Government should carry out an effective information campaign to inform them of the possibility of fines and punishment and then use strong measures to address environmental issues.