A ban on burbot fishing is being introduced in Belarus from December 25 to February 28 inclusive.
A ban on burbot fishing is being introduced in Belarus from December 25 to February 28 inclusive. Burbot is a predatory bottom-dwelling fish, the only representative of the cod family that inhabits freshwater. It prefers rivers and lakes with cold and clean water. Burbot becomes sexually mature at 3-4 years of age, but under favourable conditions, some individuals mature earlier. In December, after the water bodies freeze over, the mass movement of burbot for spawning begins.
To conserve fish resources and create favourable conditions for fish reproduction, paragraph 107 of the Rules for Fishery Management and Fishing, approved by Decree No. 580 of December 8, 2005, establishes a ban on the capture of common burbot from December 25 to February 28. If a burbot is caught during the closed season, in accordance with current legislation, the fish must be released alive into the fishing grounds.