In Tatarstan, a father and son were caught illegally catching 12,000 crayfish.

      At the Nizhnekamsk Reservoir, police detained a 72-year-old man and his 40-year-old son right during a night of crayfish fishing. Police officers apprehended the two men — father and son — at the moment they were engaged in illegal crayfish fishing. According to the press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Republic of Tatarstan, the offenders were 72 and 40 years old. The men operated according to a well-rehearsed scheme: they took a motorboat out onto the reservoir's waters at night to avoid detection. Using special multi-catch crayfish traps, the poachers managed to catch over 12,000 crayfish. However, they were caught in the act by operatives before they could complete their plan.

      Confession and plans for selling the catch

      During the interrogation, the detainees fully admitted their guilt. They explained that they planned to sell the catch to local residents. Crayfish are a delicacy and an expensive product, especially in the summer season, so illegal fishing would have promised them considerable profit. But instead of revenue, the men faced criminal prosecution.

      What was seized and the damage caused to nature

      During the operational investigative actions, police seized from the poachers: a motorboat they used to move on the water; 35 multi-catch crayfish traps — gear that causes particular harm to the population, as it allows for the capture of crayfish in huge quantities. All live catch — 12,000 crayfish — was immediately released back into the water. Fortunately, the animals were unharmed and returned to their natural habitat. Experts assessed the damage caused to aquatic biological resources at over 1.4 million rubles. This figure is based on the fines established by law for each illegally caught crayfish. The seasonality, sizes of the individuals, and method of capture increase the severity of the violation.

      Preventive measure and article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation

      A criminal case has been initiated against the father and son under the article on illegal extraction of aquatic resources (presumably part 3 of article 256 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation — illegal extraction of aquatic biological resources causing significant damage, using a self-propelled vessel and prohibited fishing gear). Punishment under this article may include a large fine (up to 1 million rubles), corrective labor, or even imprisonment for up to 5 years. During the investigation, the detainees will remain free — the court has chosen a preventive measure in the form of a written undertaking not to leave and proper behavior. However, this does not mean a softening of responsibility: the collection of evidence continues, and the case will almost certainly go to court.

      Why this is important: the scale of poaching in Tatarstan

      The incident at the Nizhnekamsk Reservoir is not an isolated case. Every year, dozens of violators of fishing and crayfish catching rules are identified in the republic. However, 12,000 individuals is one of the largest figures in recent years. Mass uncontrolled catch undermines the crayfish population in Tatarstan's water bodies, the restoration of which takes years. Law enforcement reminds: from June 15 to August 10, there is a ban on crayfish fishing due to their molting and breeding period. The use of multi-catch crayfish traps is always prohibited, and for each illegally caught crayfish, individuals face fines ranging from 2,300 to 4,600 rubles (depending on the size of the individual). In this case, due to the mass scale, the amount of damage became criminal.

      Photo: press service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs for the Republic of Tatarstan

      Yulia Kazamarova

      More news about the event:

      In Tatarstan, a father and son were caught illegally catching 12,000 crayfish

      At the Nizhnekamsk Reservoir, police detained a 72-year-old man and his 40-year-old son right during a night of crayfish fishing. Police officers apprehended the two men — father and son — at the moment, 18:36 26.05.2026 News of Zainsk - Zainsk

      In Tatarstan, a father and son were caught illegally catching 12,000 crayfish

      At the Nizhnekamsk Reservoir, police detained a 72-year-old man and his 40-year-old son right during a night of crayfish fishing. Police officers apprehended the two men — father and son — at the moment, 17:36 26.05.2026 Zainsk-inform - Zainsk

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