Crayfish Catching Rules

Crayfish Catching Regulations.

The Verkhnedvinsk Inter-district Inspectorate for the Protection of Fauna and Flora reports that, in accordance with the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus dated December 12, 2023 No. 872 "On Amendments and Additions to the Rules for Catching, Harvesting and (or) Purchasing Wild Animals Not Related to Hunting and Fishing Objects, approved by the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus dated June 2, 2006 No. 699", the procedure and rules for catching the long-clawed (narrow-clawed) crayfish have been established.

Prohibited:

- Catching long-clawed (narrow-clawed) crayfish in the fishing grounds of the Vitebsk region – from April 10 to June 8,

- Catching egg-bearing females and females with larvae throughout the year,

- Catching individuals with a body length of less than 10.5 cm (from the rostrum to the telson) at any time of the year;

- Catching crayfish by citizens for personal purposes using more than three crayfish traps per person;

- Catching no more than two kilograms per day;

- Leaving crayfish traps without visual supervision;

- Catching using lighting devices during dark hours;

- Catching by hand during dark hours;

- Using other tools for catching wild animals, except for crayfish traps (by citizens for personal purposes).

"Crayfish trap" means a tool for catching crayfish, which is a mesh square (circle) with a diagonal (diameter) of no more than 100 centimeters with bait fixed in the center (an open-type lift net) or a trap (no more than 100 cm long) with one or more (no more than 5) entrances with an inlet diameter of no more than 70 centimeters (closed-type).

CATCHING BROAD-CLAWED CRAYFISH IS PROHIBITED!

For additional information or reports of poaching, please contact the Verkhnedvinsk Inter-district Inspectorate for the Protection of Fauna and Flora by calling the "hotline" at 6 17 23 or at the address: Verkhnedvinsk, Sovetskaya St., bldg. 193/2.