Illegal fish export reached $100 million in 2012-2015, Prosecutor General's Office

ASTANA. KAZINFORM - In accordance with the results of the analysis in production and turnover of fishery resources Prosecutor General's Office of the Republic of Kazakhstan unveiled significant violations of law.

According to the press-service agency, despite a rich fishery water fund and favorable conditions for intensive development of fish farming, the country's fish stocks are being depleted. This contributes to poaching which in the recent years has reached industrial scale. Thus, in 2012-2015 thirty percent of Kazakhstan's exported fish products were produced by poachers (13.7 tons of 40 tons). Exporting of illegally caught fish is carried out by organized criminal groups through a network of sham companies. In 2012-2015 the volume of shadow turnover amounted to about $100 million and damages to the state including tax evasion exceeded 15 billion tenge. State Revenue Committee under the Ministry of Finance initiated and conducted pre-trial investigation under articles 335 and 245 of the Criminal Code.