Illegal Fishing Gear Found in Restricted Waters off Świnoujście
On June 9, a routine patrol conducted by the Pomorskie Border Guard Detachment’s vessel SG-216 discovered fishing nets deployed in a maritime area currently closed to navigation by order of the Harbour Master in Świnoujście. The presence of the fishing gear constitutes a violation of maritime safety and navigation regulations, and the incident will result in administrative proceedings.
In brief
The Polish Border Guard vessel SG-216 of the Pomeranian Border Guard Squadron detected fishing nets on 9 June 2025 in an area closed to navigation at the entrance to the outer port in Świnoujście. A day later border guards stopped a fishing boat with two people hauling in the nets for inspection. The inspection revealed the absence of the boat's safety card, STCW certificates and qualification documents of the person in charge of the vessel, reported Tadeusz Gruchalla of the Maritime Border Guard Unit. The commander of the Pomeranian Border Guard Squadron will submit a request to the Director of the Maritime Office in Szczecin for administrative proceedings.
he fishing nets were located at the entrance to the outer port of Świnoujście—a zone temporarily restricted from maritime traffic. No fishing vessels were present in the immediate vicinity at the time, prompting the patrol crew to place the area under surveillance.
The following morning, during a continued patrol operation and inspection of critical LNG terminal infrastructure in the port area, the Border Guard crew observed a fishing vessel with two persons on board retrieving the previously sighted nets.
An inspection of the vessel revealed multiple irregularities. The crew failed to present the mandatory vessel safety card, valid STCW safety certificates, or any qualification documents authorizing the skipper to conduct commercial marine fishing operations. The Border Guard immediately ordered the removal of all nets from the restricted area.
The Commander of the Pomorskie Border Guard Detachment will submit a formal request to the Director of the Maritime Office in Szczecin to initiate administrative proceedings against the individuals involved.
These patrols form part of the Border Guard’s regular maritime operations, aimed at ensuring compliance with navigation safety regulations, protecting critical infrastructure, verifying the legality of fishing activities, and enforcing environmental protection laws within Polish territorial waters.
Source: Gazeta Morska · Compiled by: Kamil Kusier
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