2012-07-16
Stocking of water bodies lacks rationality
The National Audit Office performed an audit of restoration and protection of fish resources in inland waters of Lithuania. The auditors analysed how fish resources were being restored in 170 state water bodies and how regional environmental protection departments were carrying out control of the protection of fish resources and water bodies during the period 2008–2011.
Auditor General Giedrė Švedienė commented on the audit report as follows: “If the restoration of fish resources in inland water bodies were more rational, more water bodies could be stocked with fish. We have identified failure to observe stocking plans and norms, to follow scientists’ recommendations, to provide a prompt response to all violations, and to ensure protection of stocked water bodies; also, there is a shortage of employees.”
The auditors established that annual national stocking plans were approved and water bodies were stocked without taking into account typical management plans for water bodies, scientists’ recommendations, stocking carried out in previous years, and often without any data on the status of fish resources. In 2011, scientists recommended stocking 96 water bodies; however, in 68 cases these recommendations were not taken into account. If water bodies had been stocked in accordance with the recommendations, there would not have been cases, like the ones in Lake Margis or Lake Balžis, where the amount of stocked fish exceeded the recommended amount by 5 and 25 times.
In 2008–2011, 121 water bodies out of 170 were stocked according to commercial or licensing norms, though in many cases people were actually engaged in recreational fishing. If state water bodies had been stocked according to the norms applied to recreational fishing, the area stocked could have been 1.6 to 10 times larger.
The auditors established that some water bodies where permits were issued for fishing (i.e. these water bodies were leased out) had been actually stocked with state funds. At present, any natural or legal person may acquire commercial fishing devices. The National Audit Office recommended to the Ministry of Environment to provide for restrictions on sale of commercial fishing equipment in order to reduce poaching and to help nature conservation bodies perform the function of control of the use, restoration and protection of natural resources. The Ministry of Agriculture should ensure that national stocking plans take into account typical management plans for water bodies, scientists’ recommendations, and the list of minimum norms for fish and crayfish stocking, and should set priorities for including water bodies into the national fish stocking plan.
The National Audit Office asked the Competition Council to assess whether the Rules for allocating fishing quotas for fishing in inland waters conform to the provisions of the Law on Competition. Quotas for fishing in the Curonian Lagoon, Kauno Marios Reservoir and in the upper catchment of Kruonis Pumped Storage Plant were allocated without a tender and only to natural and legal persons included in the lists approved by the Fisheries Service. Accordingly, the Competitions Council has started an investigation.
The amount of funds allocated for the restoration of fish resources during 2008–2011 totalled to about LTL 41.5 million.
Public audit summary:
Ensuring restoration and protection of fish resources in inland water bodies 