MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT

CIRCULAR 06.02.2013 No 97


Ban on gillnets used to catch whitefish in
The waters of Peipsi, Lämmi and Pihkva in
in 2013

The order shall be issued on the basis of paragraph 19(3) of the Law on fishing.

Scientists from the Estonian Maritime Institute of the University of Tartu estimate that the stock of whitefish in lakes Peipsi, Lämmi and Pihkva is still in decline. Because of the scarcity of stocks, this is a rare occurrence in fishing gear. In 2012, 187 kg of silk was caught from lakes. As defined by the Government of the Republic of 9 May. Paragraph 31(2)(3) of Regulation No 144 of 2003, entitled “fishing rules”, authorises the use of gillnets with a mesh size greater than 96 mm in the fisheries of whitefish at a distance of more than one kilometre from the coast of the lakes of Peipsi, Lämmi and Pihkva. According to scientists from the Marine Institute, undersized sites, lats and larger redfish are mainly caught in these gillnets, but the fishing opportunities here are very small. Therefore, scientists from the Marine Institute advise against using gillnets with a mesh size of at least 96 mm authorised to fish in Peipsi as an exception to the rules on fisheries in order to protect the
and the bar.
In accordance with paragraph 19(3) of the Law on fishing, and on the basis of a proposal from scientists from the Estonian Maritime Institute of the University of Tartu, I hereby decide:

1. Prohibit the use of gillnets with a mesh size of less than 130 mm in the fisheries of whiteheart exceeding 1 km from the coast in the case of Lake Peipsi and more than 500 metres from the coast in the case of Lake Läm and Pihkva in 2013 in the case of
.
2. A decree to be published in the official publication Ametlikud Teadaanded and on the internet on the website of the Ministry of the Environment
.
/signed digitally/
Keit Pentus-Rosimannus


Send: Ministry of Agriculture, Environment Inspectorate, Association of fishermen in the Peipsi subbasin, Peipsi Association of fishermen, Association of enterprises and fishermen in the Peipsi region