Synthetic Fishing Nets. Poaching

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Coordinates: 42°38’52″E 71°37’06″N

Synthetic fishing nets used by poachers are strong and durable, and they practically do not decompose in water, leading to their accumulation in lakes and other water bodies. As a result, the lakes and other water bodies of the Kyrgyz Republic become littered with huge quantities of nets made from synthetic materials. In these nets, fish as well as waterfowl become entangled and die, turning water bodies and lakes into a true graveyard for the fish caught in them, which is an ecological disaster for all of Kyrgyzstan.

They are advantageous for poachers because they are very cheap. Therefore, when inspectors confiscate them, the poacher suffers almost no loss. They immediately go to the nearest market and buy a new net, and thanks to the sale of fish from a single catch (even if it's just 1-2 kg), they quickly cover the costs of purchasing it. Being not very sturdy, these nets often tear during fish extraction, so poachers frequently just leave them in the water or throw them on the shore.

Due to their durability, the nets left in water bodies turn into a real "conveyor" for the destruction of not only fish but also ducks and other aquatic animals. Once caught in the nets, animals die a slow and agonizing death, similar to that in snares, traps, or nooses. A huge number of these nets accumulate on the bottom, where they continue to destroy all living things. It should be added that currently, these nets are the favorite gear of Kyrgyz poachers.