Anglers against poachers: Sea trout have successfully spawned in the river Tartak, Belarus
CCB • October 7, 2010
The river Tartak is a small, shallow creek in the Vilia/Neman river catchment in Belarus. This autumn, 2010, more than 50 female sea trout have gone upstream the river, and most of them spawned successfully. This is very unusual due to the fact that poachers have usually taken almost all of the spawning sea trout from the local rivers. Thanks to a volunteer river patrol brought together during the spawning season, for the first time in many years the poachers did not show up and the sea trout could survive.

Widespread exploitation of the critically endangered European eel population continues against scientific advice, despite few signs of recovery. Yesterday, the International Exploration of the Sea, ICES, published its scientific advice on fishing opportunities and conservation for European eel for 2026. As in previous years, ICES advises zero catch for all life stages, all uses and in all habitats. The conservation advice is to reduce other human-related mortalities to zero and restore habitats.
