The Inspection for Wildlife Protection reports that the catching of long-clawed (narrow-clawed) crayfish by citizens for personal use is regulated by the Rules for the capture, harvesting and (or) procurement of wild animals not classified as game or fish, approved by the Resolution of the Council of Ministers of the Republic of Belarus of 02.06.2006 No. 699 (as amended and supplemented).
Crayfish catching is prohibited:
in the Vitebsk region from April 10 to June 8, as well as egg-bearing females and females with larvae throughout the year;
with a body length of less than 10.5 centimeters (from the tip of the rostrum to the end of the telson);
using more than three crayfish traps per person (by citizens for personal use);
leaving crayfish traps without visual control, as well as using them during dark hours (by citizens for personal use);
using lighting devices and (or) watercraft, as well as catching by hand during dark hours;
using aqualungs and other means of capturing wild animals, except for crayfish traps (by citizens for personal use).
A crayfish trap is a device for catching crayfish, which is a mesh square (circle) with a diagonal (diameter) of no more than 100 centimeters with bait fixed in the center (an open-type lift net) or a trap (length no more than 100 cm) with one or more (no more than 5) entrances with an inlet diameter of no more than 70 centimeters (closed-type).
Dark hours are the period of time that begins one hour after sunset and ends one hour before sunrise.
The crayfish catch limit is 2 kg per person per day.
For violation of the above Rules, administrative liability is provided in the form of a fine of up to 20 basic units, and for each illegally caught crayfish, compensation for environmental damage in the amount of 1.5 basic units is charged.
In case of illegal crayfish capture during the closed season, the environmental damage is calculated at triple the amount.