The hunter has a duty to take care of all natural resources; he must protect animals, as well as their habitat. This norm is prescribed in Art. 58. constitution of our country. Therefore, those people who decide to engage in poaching must understand the possible consequences of their actions. Moreover, responsibility is becoming stricter every year, and fines for poaching are growing. The poacher may not only pay a fine, but also retain his vehicles and weapons, as well as incur criminal liability.
About poaching
Poaching is a word familiar to every hunter. This is a broad concept that covers both hunting for rare animals and fishing at inappropriate times. In addition, the use of certain auxiliary devices is considered poaching. For example, when hunting marten, it is prohibited to use traps that slam shut around the animal’s limb. Using traps against some animals is poaching. To avoid problems with choosing a hunting method, you need to familiarize yourself and study in advance all the information about the methods of hunting a particular animal.
If a person goes hunting before the official opening of the season, this is poaching. The poaching statute imposes fines for illegal hunting before the season, but in some cases the person may face criminal charges.
In addition, poaching also refers to illegal logging, commercial fishing in unauthorized places, and any other activity of a hunter that violates legal norms.
Who should you not hunt?
The snow leopard is an endangered animal and is under state protection.
The main book of the hunter is the Red Book. It includes protected species of animals, including those that are on the verge of extinction. Any hunter should know which animals could potentially result in a significant prison sentence if he shoots them.
The problem is that some people simply do not pay attention to the rules and may unknowingly harm a protected animal.
Hunting for elk, snow leopard, pink pelican and a number of other animals is prohibited on the territory of the Russian Federation.
For elk, hunting is sometimes permitted. This applies to cases when there are too many animals, so there is a need to regulate their population. Such changes are introduced into legislation for a short period of time, and the decision is supplemented by the relevant Resolution.
Basic concepts and points of standard hunting rules
The main task of government bodies, which are called upon to monitor compliance with the rules governing hunting on the territory of the Russian Federation, is to preserve the diversity of animals for which hunting is permitted and to ensure the rational use of hunting resources.
Hunting is a broad concept that involves tracking, pursuing and capturing animals and birds in the wild. Animals that are allowed to be hunted are part of the region’s hunting fund, and hunting is considered to be the presence of a person with a hunting rifle or other implements on the territory of the hunting ground. A person with a functioning weapon in places of public importance is also considered a hunter.
Taking into account the existing danger to surrounding people and animals, the government of the Russian Federation has decided that any Russian citizen or foreign citizen who has reached a certain age can participate in hunting using firearms, birds of prey and service dogs. In addition, each hunter is required to pass a minimum safety test and confirm competence in handling firearms by paying a state fee (the cost of a license or voucher). Hunting without a permit entails responsibility, which is determined by various factors, but experts do not recommend allowing any violations that entail a guaranteed penalty.
If you want to hunt, you must study the current rules in advance and make sure you have a hunting license. You must also have other permitting documents with you, which may include:
- A hunting permit, which gives permission in a specific farm;
- Permission from the authorized body to carry firearms;
- If you plan to hunt licensed species, a license is required.
Particular attention should be paid to the boundaries of the land in which you are going to hunt, since violating the boundaries is punishable by a fine. In any case, it is much more profitable to pay the state for the right to legal hunting: it’s not only about the size of the possible fine, but also about the pleasure of the process, when you won’t have to hide from any mushroom picker passing by.
Many government agencies, as well as volunteers from the public, monitor the absence of violations of hunting rules, which only emphasizes the high risk of hunting without a permit or other documents. Sooner or later, violators will come to the attention of rangers and game wardens, forest guards, police officers, nature conservation inspectors, and public inspectors operating on the lands.
By the way, employees of all of the above organizations have the right to demand from the hunter documents giving permission to hunt.
The fine for hunting without a permit or refusal to present one is a significant amount, and given that most of us do not often go hunting, we should not tempt fate. So it’s better to pay the fee according to the law; besides, some farms, especially private ones, often set a purely symbolic fee.
Fines for violating hunting rules
The amount of the fine for violating hunting rules depends on the circumstances. So, for an individual the fine is about 4 thousand rubles. In this case, the weapon will definitely be confiscated. This also applies to hunting with traps and traps. In addition to the monetary penalty, the violator will also receive a ban on hunting activities for a period of 24 months.
For officials, the fine for violations of hunting rules is more serious. You will have to say goodbye not only to an impressive amount (35 thousand rubles), a hunting license, but also to your weapon.
Repeated violation of hunting rules
If a person continues to engage in poaching, he is deprived of hunting rights for several years.
Life does not teach some people anything, so a fine is provided for violating hunting a second time. Repeated violation of the rules means failure to comply with hunting rules within 12 months. So, if a person received one fine and violated the rules again during the same calendar year, the punishment increases several times. In case of poaching, the amount of the fine may increase 10 times, but the exact amounts are determined individually and depend on the severity of the violation of the rules.
If we talk about the duration of the hunting ban, repeated violation of the rules can lead to the fact that a person will not be able to engage in hunting for as long as three years.
How is hunting out of season punished?
Hunting seasons are established for a reason. These periods are the most favorable for people to hunt without causing irreparable damage to the animal population.
Hunting seasons are usually set at a time when animals have already experienced population growth and hunting will not have a serious negative impact on their numbers.
For violation of the established hunting periods, an individual will lose his hunting rights for the next two years. For officials, the punishment is more severe - an impressive fine (up to 50 thousand rubles) with confiscation of hunting weapons.
About hunting trips
To begin hunting, an appropriate permit is required.
Previously, many hunters did not specifically apply for a hunting permit. The fact is that the fine for its absence was very small, much less than the cost of the voucher itself. Thus, just a few years ago, fines for hunting without a permit generally helped to save money and were limited to only small monetary losses.
In recent years, the Russian Federation has revised the penalties for hunting without a permit, so hunters should be aware that for such activities they can lose their right to hunt for up to three years.
In general, what fine awaits you for hunting without a permit depends on the scale of the violation of the rules and the negative consequences for the environment. Thus, repeated hunting without a permit is punishable not only by deprivation of the right to further activities, but also by an impressive fine, as well as confiscation of hunting weapons.
Tougher penalties for water poaching in 2022
The poaching law in 2022 will be harsher for poachers. So the president signed a law that toughens penalties in 2022 for the illegal extraction of aquatic biological resources. Fines for poaching in 2022 for illegal fishing or mining, which results in major damage, will increase to 300-500 thousand rubles. In addition, the convicted person will be deprived of income equal to 2-3 years of work. An article of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation for poaching can also be applied, as a result of which the convicted person will be imprisoned for 2 years or sent to correctional labor.
- The application of such punishment occurs in the case of illegal fishing from boats and boats using chemicals and explosives, electric current, as well as other prohibited weapons in spawning areas or on migration routes to them.
- This punishment may follow if a violation is detected in an environmental disaster zone, specially protected natural areas, or in a place of environmental emergency.
If a crime is committed by an organized group, a group of persons by prior conspiracy, using their official position, or when causing particularly large damage, then the punishment for poaching in Russia in this case will be even harsher. In this case, one of several penalties may be applied:
- a fine of 500 thousand - 1 million rubles, or in the amount of the income of the convicted person for a 3-5 year period;
- imprisonment for 2-5 years with deprivation of the opportunity to hold certain positions or conduct certain activities for up to three years.
Poachers in 2022 should think seriously before breaking the law by going on illegal hunting or fishing trips. Poachers are not only subject to large administrative penalties, but also criminal penalties may be applied with the confiscation of the instruments of the offense.
Illegal hunting, extraction, keeping and acquisition of rare animals
There is another article, Art. 258 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation, which every hunter must take into account. This section describes illegal hunting on a large scale. In this article, illegal hunting means:
- causing major damage to animal populations;
- the use of mechanical and air vehicles for hunting;
- use of dangerous methods of mass destruction of animals (explosives, gas, etc.);
- shooting of animals from the Red Book;
- hunting activities in prohibited areas.
Who makes decisions on administrative responsibility?
Many structures are involved in the control of hunting in the Russian Federation. This includes the executive power of constituent entities, municipalities, the Ministry of Natural Resources, as well as environmental organizations themselves.
A decision on administrative liability can be made in court. All “disputes in the field of hunting and conservation of hunting resources will be settled in court.” This is stated in Article 56 of Federal Law No. 209 “On Hunting”.
Please note that at the scene of the offense, the inspector has the right to draw up an act and relevant documents, collect evidence, search the poachers’ belongings or vehicle, but he cannot issue a receipt for a fine.
Having collected all the information, he sends the documentation to law enforcement agencies, to the court with a request to bring the violator to administrative or criminal liability. Further, the issue will be resolved at another level.
Fishing with nets and lack of a hunting license
Illegal fishing is also prosecuted by law.
Fishing with nets has its own system of fines, which depends on the number of fish caught and the overall scale of such fishing. For example, if there is a massive net catch of salmon, the poacher will have to pay a fine of 300 rubles for each fish.
The fine for hunting without a license (permission to hunt certain animals) depends on the type of hunt. So, in 2022 you will have to pay 60 thousand rubles for a bear, 30 thousand for a wild boar. The minimum fine for a beaver is “only” 6 thousand rubles per individual.
