A Ukrainian man has been deported from Poland for illegal fishing
This has been reported by the Polish broadcaster TVN24 Warszawa.
A Ukrainian man has been accused of illegally catching a catfish
The incident took place on Lake Balaton in the Goślaw district of Warsaw. The police launched an investigation after videos and photos of the catch of a large catfish appeared on social media. According to law enforcement officials, the 57-year-old Ukrainian has been charged under two sections of the law — for breaching the law on fishing in inland waters and the law on animal protection. Investigators believe that the man was transporting fish caught during the closed season and also handled them improperly by transporting them without access to water. He faces up to three years in prison for this.
The man has been banned from entering the Schengen Area
Following the police’s actions, the case was handed over to the Polish Border Guard. They stated that the Ukrainian’s continued stay in the country could pose a threat to public order. The commander of the border post in Warsaw decided to return the man to Ukraine without setting a deadline for voluntary departure. He has also been banned from re-entering Poland and other Schengen Area countries for five years.
What is known about the catfish caught
According to eyewitnesses, the fish was over 170 centimetres long and weighed around 40 kilograms. Footage published online shows the catfish being pulled out of the water, after which it was allegedly dragged along the ground and placed in the boot of a car. In Poland, catfish are protected from 1 January to 31 May — during this period, fishing for them is prohibited.
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