Crayfish rules
1. The rules determine the procedure for fishing, crabbing and underwater hunting in the waters of the Republic of Latvia.
2. Fishing, crayfishing and underwater hunting for personal consumption is the right of a person who, during the harvesting of fish and crayfish, as well as other aquatic invertebrates (hereinafter referred to as fish and crayfish), has:
2.1. a valid fishing, crayfishing and underwater hunting card (except for the persons referred to in Clause 3 of these Regulations) or a fishing, crayfishing and underwater hunting card purchased electronically (on the Internet), which indicates the person's name, surname and personal code, or the number of such a card is named;
2.2. a document that allows identification of a person and their age (photograph, name, surname and personal identification number), but for persons with disabilities aged 16 to 65 - a disability certificate;
2.3. in places where licensed fishing, licensed crayfishing or licensed underwater hunting is organized, a valid special permit (license) or a special permit (license) purchased electronically (on the Internet) or its number is mentioned.
3. A fishing, crabbing and underwater hunting card is not required for persons younger than 16 years and older than 65 years, as well as persons with disabilities.
7. When fishing, crabbing or underwater hunting, a person has the right to use the towing lane free of charge - along the coast of the Baltic Sea and the Gulf of Riga 20 meters wide, along the shores of private waters 4 meters wide, along the shores of other waters 10 meters wide.
8. It is forbidden to be in the water or in its immediate vicinity:
8.1. with fish and crayfish harvesting tools, if their use is prohibited at the relevant time or place, with the exception of moving by boat, if instead of the ban on the use of the relevant tools, they are placed and stored in the boat in a condition that does not allow them to immediately start harvesting fish or crayfish;
8.2. with fish and crayfish of those species, the harvesting of which is prohibited at the relevant time or place, or the quantity or weight of which exceeds the size of role allowed in these regulations or the regulations of licensed fishing, crayfishing and underwater hunting, or does not correspond to the permissible length of fish and crayfish.
10. The following activities are prohibited:
10.1. hide fishing gear or catch;
10.2. offer on the market, sell or transfer to other persons the obtained fish or crayfish for profit;
10.3. move fish and crayfish from one body of water to another without complying with the requirements set forth in Article 22 of the Fisheries Law ;
10.4. touch, damage or use fishing, crabbing or underwater hunting gear, as well as industrial fishing gear;
10.5. build mechanical barriers in rivers, canals and culverts;
10.6. to pollute the waters and their coastal strip, as well as leave waste on the coastal strip, on the ice or in the water;
10.7. damage the information signs and signs placed in the waters or along the coastal strip;
10.8. to anchor boats in marked fairways and get fish and crayfish from the boat.
30. Crayfishing is allowed if crayfish (their distinguishing features and Latin name are specified in Appendix 5 of these regulations) are caught by hand in the places indicated in these regulations or in licensed crayfishing places or no more than five crayons are used, the construction of which is described and depicted in Article 6 of these regulations. in the appendix . The use of other crayfish harvesting tools or harvesting techniques during crayfishing is prohibited.
31. Each crayon is equipped with a 3 x 7 centimeter plastic plate, on which the name and surname of the person – the crayon owner – is indicated with a waterproof marker, as well as the number of the fishing, crabbing and underwater hunting card (except for the persons referred to in paragraph 3 of these regulations). . The marking shall be clearly legible and shall be above or at water surface level.
32. It is forbidden to catch:
32.1. crayfish in caves or driving them out of caves or hiding places;
32.2. broad-clawed crayfish and narrow-clawed crayfish - from October 1 to June 30, as well as their females with visible eggs - all year round.
33. One person is allowed to keep:
33.1. broad-clawed crayfish - only in accordance with the regulations of licensed crayfishing, but no more than 50;
33.2. narrow-mouthed crayfish - no more than 50;
33.3. spiny crayfish and signal crayfish - without a number limit, if their harvesting quantity is not specified in the licensed crayfish regulations.
34. It is allowed to keep crayfish in the role, the minimum permissible length of which is as follows:
34.1. 10 centimeters – for broad-claw cancer and narrow-claw cancer;
34.2. eight centimeters – for spiny cheek cancer and signal cancer.
35. The length of the rump is determined by measuring the distance from the frontal spine (a sharp growth on the front between the eyes) to the end of the middle plate of the tail.
36. Each person stores their caught crayfish separately during crayfishing, except for the case when the total catch of several persons does not exceed the size of the catch allowed for one person.
39.2. children under the age of 16 are not allowed to use underwater hunting tools without parental or adult supervision;
43. A person who has violated these regulations shall be held administratively or criminally liable in accordance with the procedures laid down in the laws and regulations, and shall be obliged to compensate the damage caused to fish and crayfish resources, observing the basic tax for calculating the amount to be recovered for the damage caused by a natural person, illegally fishing in the waters of the Republic of Latvia fish, crayfish and other aquatic invertebrates.
44. In order to compensate for the damages caused to fish resources, the basic tax referred to in Appendix 8 of these Regulations shall be applied:
44.1. triple:
44.1.1. for a role obtained without the documents referred to in paragraph 2 of these regulations;
44.1.2. if the permitted role size and permitted length of crayfish and those species of fish not mentioned in 44.2.3 of these regulations have been exceeded. in subsection;
44.2. fivefold:
44.2.1. about harvesting fish and crayfish at a prohibited time or place;
44.2.2. if non-compliant or prohibited methods or tools for harvesting fish and crayfish are used;
44.2.3. if the permitted size of the role and the permitted length of fish of specially protected limited use species (salmon, salmon, turnips, lettuce (forest vimba), whitefish, sea trout) as well as brook trout have been exceeded;
44.2.4. for dividing fish or changing the whole during their harvesting, not complying with the requirement referred to in Clause 9 of these Regulations;
44.2.5. if the person refused to present the catch and fish or crayfish harvesting tools for control;
44.2.6. if fish or crayfish obtained by fishing, crayfishing or underwater hunting are offered on the market, sold or transferred to other persons for profit.
46.2.1. prohibitions or restrictions on the harvesting of fish and crayfish during the dark hours of the day;
We warn you! That's just part of the law that applies to cancer!
You can familiarize yourself with all the rules of fishing, crabbing and underwater hunting by clicking on this link:
https://likumi.lv/ta/id/279205-makskeresanas-vezosanas-un-zemudens-medibu-noteikumi
Please follow the rules so that you don't have problems with the law in the future!
Let's respect the laws and nature of Latvia.