20 individuals charged for illegal electrofishing in Erbil

Erbil— The Erbil Environment Directorate, through its legal department, has filed legal complaints against 20 individuals in Harir Investigation Court for using electric shocks to fish in the local Qandil River, violating environmental guidelines.

Dilshad Hussein Hirani, director of the Erbil Environment Directorate, told 964media that the legal department acted after gathering comprehensive information about the individuals involved. “These 20 individuals used electrofishing in the Qandil River, and we have formally filed charges against them in Harir Court,” he said.

The directorate cited Directive No. 1 of 2023 on “Specified Times for Fishing and Related Conditions and Measures,” which prohibits the use of electric shocks for the protection and improvement of the environment in the Kurdistan Region.

Hirani added that violators of this regulation face penalties under the court’s discretion, which could include imprisonment alongside fines.

The environmental guidelines prohibit fishing practices that pose significant ecological risks, such as the use of electricity, poisons, explosives, and fine-mesh nets. These methods, while effective, lead to the indiscriminate killing of various aquatic species and disrupt the breeding cycles vital for sustaining healthy fish populations.

The enforcement of the law has resulted in multiple arrests of individuals involved in illegal fishing activities across the waters of the Kurdistan Region.