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WELCOME to STATE of the ENVIRONMENT IN UKRAINE |
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The area of secured hunting lands in 1998 was 47.7 million hectares. 78.5% of the secured lands (37.5 million hectares) were used by the Ukrainian Association of Hunters and Fishermen; 13.9% (6.6 million hectares) by the State Forestry Committee of Ukraine; 2.3% (1.1 million hectares) by the Military Hunters and Fishermen Association; and 5.3% (2.5 million hectares) by other organizations. 5,312 people work in the hunting industry of Ukraine, among them 3,582 permanent huntsmen, and 673 hunting historians. In 1998, the overall expenditure for the conducting of the hunting industry was UAH 16.4 million (UAH 343 per thousand hectares of secured lands); of this amount UAH 5.4 million (UAH 113 per thousand hectares) was used for the rehabilitation of wild animals and implementation of biotechnical actions. The income from the hunting activity accounts UAH 8.8 million (UAH 185 per thousand hectares). One of the most difficult problems confronting the hunting industry is poaching. Worsened living conditions for an overwhelming majority of the population have led to increased illegal hunting of wild animals. Despite a reduction in material, technical and financial securing of nature protection bodies and self-elimination of social hunting organizations, particularly the Ukrainian Association of Hunters and Fishermen (UAHF), 6,276 reports were drawn up for violations of hunting rules in 1998. The violators paid fines amounting to UAH 181,000, and UAH 58,000 to compensate for damage caused; 508 units of smoothbore weapons and 19 units of rifled weapons were confiscated. 111 citizens were made criminally responsible. The number of hunting animals in Ukraine is decreasing because of the negative impact of environmental pollution, poaching and predators. For example, during the last 8 years the number of hoofed animals in Ukraine decreased by 62,000 heads (24%). The volume of hunted animals during this period decreased by 12,200 heads (3-4 times). The number of hoofed animals hunted on the lands of UAHF decreased 6 times (from 11,500 heads in 1990 to 1,900 heads in 1998). Dynamics of numbers and catching of main species of hunting animals
In order to improve hunting management and the hunting economy of the country, the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Nuclear Safety of Ukraine has prepared the Draft Law of Ukraine "On hunting household and hunting". The document has been agreed by respective governmental authorities and submitted to the Parliament of Ukraine for consideration and approval.
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