An electronic platform will be launched to track commercial fishing networks. This is provided by the Resolution of the Cabinet of Ministers No. 80 dated February 9, 2024, "On approval of the rules of fishing in natural reservoirs of the Republic of Uzbekistan".

According to the decree, the procedure for amateur and industrial fishing, the rights and obligations of persons engaged in fishing, control over the use of ichthyofauna objects, protection of fish resources and calculation of damage caused by illegal fishing, fishing rules, including the destruction of fishing gear and gear seized from offenders, and awarding an authorized person who discovered cases of illegal fishing a monetary reward.

For reference, the objects of ichthyofauna in natural reservoirs are objects of national importance, and their rational use is protected by the state. Fish living in natural reservoirs, as well as those released into their natural habitat, are the property of the state. Fishing is also considered to be done in fishing areas with fishing gear or fish products. All natural reservoirs on the territory of the Republic of Uzbekistan, where amateur and industrial fishing is allowed following the established procedure, are fishing areas.

In turn, nature reserves, nature protection, recreational, historical, and cultural facilities, sanitary protection zones for water supply sources, lands intended for industry, transport, communications, defense, and other purposes, border zones, dams, water separators, bridges, and other protected areas within a radius of 500 meters from the borders of farms where the moratorium on fishing is not considered fishing areas.

Based on the decision, a standard for nets allowed for industrial fishing will be developed and approved within three months. Also, with the involvement of scientific research and educational institutions in the field of ecology, GPS tracking devices will be installed as an experiment on nets allowed for fishing.

Under the Law of the Republic of Uzbekistan "On the Protection and Use of wildlife", this decision serves to protect the fish resources of natural reservoirs and their rational use.

The decision will come into force three months after its official adoption.

Please note that the rules prohibiting fishing do not apply to intensive fish farming technology and aquaculture in artificial reservoirs and cage structures in irrigation networks that are not natural reservoirs.

In natural reservoirs, individuals are allowed to catch 1 fish weighing up to 5 kg for free for 1 day. In other cases, fishing is carried out based on an agreement with the persons to whom these reservoirs are assigned. Amateur fishing in natural reservoirs is prohibited during the moratorium period.

Fishing is prohibited in the following periods: from March 11 to May 31 in the Amudarya and Syrdarya rivers; from April 26 to June 10 in the natural reservoirs of the Republic of Karakalpakstan and Khorezm region; and from April 16 to May 31 in all other natural reservoirs.

In the case of industrial fishing, it is necessary to have the appropriate documents: a lease agreement for a natural reservoir, a permit (quota), a fishing notebook, documents for fishing gear registered with the Ministry of Emergency Situations, and an extract from information on the marking and registration of fishing gear. Fishing is carried out with nets made of artificial and vegetable fibers. Fishing with artificial fiber nets with a thickness of less than 1 mm is not allowed in natural reservoirs.