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Spearfishing rules in Russia

04/18/2013 | Spearfishing rules in Russia

About the rules of spearfishing in Russia

Fans of spearfishing are interested in the same questions: what laws, regulations or decrees govern spearfishing in the country? Some tell gruesome stories of meetings with fisheries inspectors, guns and equipment seized. To clarify this issue, we turned to the leading specialist of the Fishery Protection Department of the Glavrybvod Directorate of the State Fisheries Committee of Russia, the oldest employee of this organization, the well-known ichthyologist Arkady Anatolyevich Vartanov, with a request to answer the most frequently asked questions. And this is what he said.

Spearfishing we consider as amateur extraction of aquatic biological resources for personal consumption, it is subject to the Rules for recreational and sport fishing. The Glavrybvod approved, in the prescribed manner, Methodological Recommendations for the development of such Rules and sent them to the Basin Fisheries Administrations. Basin administrations assess the situation in water bodies and, on the basis of Methodological Recommendations, develop regional Rules. From time to time, together with biologists, hydrologists and hydrochemists of research institutes, fish conservation specialists calculate the reserves of certain biological objects, assess the state of water bodies, and establish the expected spawning time.

Every year, having data on water bodies, the Basin Authorities add to the Rules a changing list of recreational fishing objects - it includes fish species, which are abundant in a particular water body, and exclude endangered species. The timing of spawning is being specified based on real climatic conditions. The list of reservoirs on which amateur fishing is allowed is also announced. It is because of this information that it is impossible to create permanent uniform Rules for the entire country.

If the underwater hunter he hunts in his region and knows the places where amateur hunting is allowed, he still needs to get acquainted with the changes made to the Rules every year so that he does not accidentally become a violator. And when going to a new region for yourself, it is absolutely necessary to contact the basin management of fish protection and clarify:

List of water bodies where recreational fishing is allowed;
- a list of permitted fishing objects;
- the amount of fish of certain species permitted for catch and for export;
- the timing of prohibitions associated with spawning or other reasons.

It is also a good idea to find out the location of the fishery protection point in the area where you are going to hunt. In general, serious underwater hunters who visit the same water bodies begin spearfishing by meeting a local fish inspector. Firstly, it guarantees you from trouble in case of a chance meeting, and secondly, fish inspectors in the field, as a rule, are people who are selflessly loving and well aware of the subordinate reservoir. They can give a lot of useful advice, especially for the novice spear hunter.

If the meeting with the inspector took place not by your will, in any case do not resist him. Inspectors are armed with special equipment and have the right to use them. In addition, the very resistance, even if you have not violated any hunting rules, is fraught with administrative punishment. What to do? Ask the inspector to show documents and write down his name and address of the superior organization. Check the correctness of the protocol and give the inspector everything that he requires. After reviewing your case in the prescribed manner, a decision is made, which you can appeal within 10 days in a higher organization or court. Detained not prohibited fishing gear, watercraft and equipment are returned to the owner in all cases.

As I already said, spearfishing is one of the ways of amateur extraction of biological resources, therefore, all paragraphs of the Rules apply to the underwater hunter, however, underwater hunting directly concerns three points of our Methodological Recommendations - 6th, 11th and 15th.

  • Clause 6 recommends that Basin Authorities list all recreational fishing gear permitted in the region. Accordingly, for example, the Moscow Basin Authority, in Article 7 of its Rules, lists all permitted fishing gear and specifically states that: ... recreational fishing is permitted throughout the year (excluding the spawning season) ... with a spear gun or pistol.
  • Clause 11 of our Methodological Recommendations reads: Spearfishing is one of the methods of amateur fishing and is allowed without the use of self-contained breathing apparatus, in compliance with these Rules and outside the places of public recreation, the territories of health institutions, etc. "

At first, I would like to note that the ban, of course, also applies to hose (non-autonomous) breathing devices. They are not indicated, since it is difficult to imagine spearfishing in hose equipment.
Secondly Basin administrations, if necessary, make specific regional additions and restrictions to this paragraph: they prohibit hunting in a particular area of ​​the reservoir, limit the list of permitted mining objects, etc. Moscow Basin Authority in Article 8.6. regional Rules prohibits the use of spearfishing from the shore, from the board of watercraft and scattered, to engage in spearfishing during the spawning season.

  • And finally, point 15.11. Methodological recommendations of the Glavrybvod prohibits the holding of fishing competitions in public reservoirs during the spawning period without the consent of the fish protection authorities. Naturally, this point also applies to spearfishing competitions.

And further. Despite the fact that the competition is limited only during the spawning period, it would be useful to notify the fish guard about the competition also outside the spawning period. Magazine NEPTUNE (# 22)

Regulations on spearfishing in the Russian Federation

This Regulation on underwater fishing (spearfishing) in the Russian Federation is introduced instead of the 1973 Regulations on sports underwater shooting (hunting) in the USSR and defines the regulatory framework for practicing underwater fishing in the Russian Federation in terms of sports and amateur forms that have become widespread in the world under the traditional name - spearfishing.

Definitions

Underwater fishing- a historically formed part of the traditional activities of mankind for the extraction, reproduction and protection of aquatic biological resources, carried out by introducing a person into the aquatic environment with the use of any technical means or without them and through the use of specific physiological characteristics of the human body.

Spearfishing- a part of underwater fishing focused on catching fish with individual non-mass fishing gear - hands, harpoons, harpoon spear guns, including search, detection, pursuit (either tracking or luring) and fishing in conditions of free movement of the underwater hunter and the fishing object in the aquatic environment ...

Spearfishing, carried out by the rules for the purpose of physical improvement of a person, the results of which are evaluated according to generally accepted sports indicators - sports spearfishing.

Spearfishing, additionally regulated by the catch (catch) standards, the list of objects and places of fishing, as well as by the fishing gear (catch) used and the equipment used by the Rules of amateur fishing in the Russian Federation and this Regulation - amateur spearfishing (spearfishing).

Underwater hunting procedure

Spearfishing (underwater fishing) as a sport and recreation (leisure) is an inalienable right of capable citizens and residents of the Russian Federation.

Citizens of Russia and its residents for the implementation of underwater fishing (spearfishing) in the internal waters of the Russian Federation, territorial waters on the continental shelf in the zones of economic interests of Russia must have a certificate of the Underwater fisherman (spearfisher) of the Russian Federation, issued by the Branches of the Russian Underwater Fishing Federation of the Russian Federation PR, Collective members RFPR, clubs, organizations or instructors licensed by the RF PR for the right to train underwater fishermen (underwater hunters). For sports spearfishing, i.e. participation in competitions and training, in which the restrictions on the number of fish caught are determined by the level of training of athletes, it is necessary to have an athlete's mark in this certificate, certified by the seal of the Main Rybvod or the territorial fish protection inspectorate.

An athlete is an underwater fisherman (underwater hunter) who has a non-zero sports individual rating (all-Russian or regional) for the current year according to the classification of the RF PR. The annual lists of athletes with an all-Russian rating are submitted to Glavrybvod by the leadership of the Russian Underwater Fishing Federation of the PR (President of the RFPR, Chairman of the Sports Council, Executive Secretary), and the lists of athletes with a regional rating are submitted to the territorial fish protection inspectorates by the heads of the RF PR departments.

Underwater hunters who have received points at competitions included in the all-Russian sports calendar of the Russian Federation PR have an individual Russian sports rating.

Sports spearfishing, including independent sports training (training camps of TCS) and competitions, is carried out in accordance with the Rules for holding competitions in underwater fishing (spearfishing) in the Russian Federation and these Regulations, and amateur spearfishing, as an independent amateur individual or group free fishing (catching) of fish is carried out in accordance with the Rules of Amateur Fishing in the Russian Federation and this Regulation.

The rights and obligations of an underwater fisherman (underwater hunter)

The underwater fisherman (underwater hunter) has the right to participate in spearfishing competitions in accordance with the admission procedure determined by the Regulations on the Competition.

Sportsmen underwater hunters have the right to conduct trainings (training camps TCB) and competitions in places used for amateur and industrial fishing. Underwater hunters-sportsmen have the right to catch fish species permitted for amateur and industrial fishing in the amount determined by their skill level or in accordance with personal plans for preparing for calendar competitions. Underwater hunters, athletes who have an all-Russian individual rating (confirmed by the seal of the Glavrybvod in their personal certificate), enjoy the rights of an athlete in all constituent entities of the Russian Federation, and those who have a regional sports individual rating (confirmed by the seal of the territorial fish protection inspectorate) on the territory of this region, and in other regions the latter are equated to amateurs.

The recreational underwater hunter has the right to catch permitted fish species in accordance with the norms adopted for recreational fishing.

Amateur underwater hunters who arrived at the competition, after registering with the Organizing Committee of the competition, can catch permitted fish species in an amount determined by their level of training or in accordance with personal training plans (i.e., as athletes) only at these competitions, within the time frame officially approved in front of them by the TCB and in the places allocated for these competitions.

Persons undergoing training under the guidance of instructors licensed by the Russian Federation PR are equated to amateurs for the period of training in spearfishing in open waters, while the instructors conducting the training are responsible for violations of this Regulation and the Rules of amateur fishing.

Citizens of foreign countries for the implementation of amateur underwater fishing on the territory of the Russian Federation must have a certificate of an underwater fisherman (spear hunter) of Russia of the accepted uniform standard.

Underwater hunters, athletes of foreign countries, to participate in competitions and TCB held on the territory of Russia, must have an official invitation from the Organizer of the competition and documentary evidence of their sports qualifications.

Note: A document confirming the sports qualifications of a foreign citizen can be, for example, protocols of spearfishing competitions with his participation.

For spearfishing, underwater hunters can use the following fishing gear and equipment:

  • harpoons with a tip having no more than five teeth;
  • hand-held harpoons and harpoon spearguns of various designs, ejecting a harpoon using rubber rods, springs, compressed gas, water, charged exclusively by the physical effort of the underwater hunter himself without assistance (see also the definition in the Rules for holding competitions in underwater fishing in the Russian Federation).

It is prohibited for an underwater fisherman (underwater hunter) to use breathing apparatus of any design for underwater hunting, except for special measures officially agreed with the Glavrybvod or with the basin management of fish protection and the leadership of the Russian Federation PR.

To provide insurance during trainings and competitions, as well as when training cadets, breathing apparatus must be used without spearguns and other fishing gear.

The underwater hunter is obliged to observe safety measures when using underwater guns and other fishing gear, not to shoot from an underwater gun while in the air (on land), as well as into the water while outside the water (from the shore, from a boat, pier, pier, etc.). when conducting underwater hunting, avoid places of mass recreation of people, observe ethics and respect for the subjects who carry out legal fishing in this water area with other fishing gear.

The underwater hunter is obliged to report to the offices of the RF PR or to the fish protection authorities about all observed cases of violation of the ecological state of water bodies.

From the moment of approval of this Regulation, the Underwater Shooter's Certificates (for athletes engaged in sports underwater shooting - ATP triathlon, as well as the Underwater Swimmer's Certificates) issued by DOSAAF organizations, nautical clubs and other organizations are subject to exchange for a Underwater angler certificate in the following order:

Within one year, upon application for admission to the RF PR without additional training for athletes (including athletes in Sports Underwater Shooting ATP);
- for amateurs, and after one year, and for athletes, after training in organizations or with instructors licensed by the Russian Federation PR for training underwater fishermen (spear hunters);

The procedure and conditions for issuing these licenses for the right to conduct training are determined by an internal decision of the Russian Federation of Underwater Fisheries of the Russian Federation PR.

Agreed
V.A. Izmailov
Approved
President of the Russian Underwater Fishing Federation RFPR V.S. DAZHAEV