Bulgaria’s National Agency of Fisheries and Aquaculture (NAFA) has carried out 25,000 checks across the country over the eleven months to December 2012, having confiscated north of 200 km of poacher nets and almost 40 tonnes of fish.
More than 1,000 checks were conducted over the past ten days alone.
Since January, the Agency has drawn up over 4,000 statements for administrative violations. Sanctions range between BGN 600 and 8,000 as per the latest amendments to the Fisheries and Aquaculture Act adopted in August.
Consumption of fish and fish products in Bulgaria hovers around 5-6 kg per capita annually, according to data by the National Statistical Institute (NSI).