A decree signed by the Environment Minister Sulfina Barbu is simply crashing the economical life of the Danube Delta. The document has no legal grounds and imposes measures with no justification. The decree is typical for Sulfina Barbu, the present Minister of Environment.
The recent signed document regards the initiation of protection measures for fish species with ecological and/or economical value. It forbids, for a period of three years, the luce fishing for commercial purposes. It also forbids the tench and fry fishing.
Like other legislative measures taken after November 2004, this document is also partly illegal and, on the other hand, it seems to bring more chaos in the agitated life of the Danube Delta.
Only a few months ago, the National Institute for the Development and Research of the Danube Delta showed in a study an increase in the luce population, but not a decrease. This is the same in the case of the tench and fry populations that couldnât be fished between 1992 and 2002. After ten years of prohibition for these species, the studies have shown an increase in the populations of tench and fry. This determined the authorities to allow the fishing, but not even three years after annulling this prohibition, specialist Barbu signs a new prohibition order for these species.
THE LUCE In the Danube Delta, there are legal documents for approximately 12,000 seines, used by professional anglers. These tools are built in such a way that one can easily catch several species of fish with it, without having any intention. What should the angler do when he takes the seine out of the water and has a few luces in it? Should he take them home or throw them back in the water, dead as they are? Another aberration: more than 4,500 permits for family fishing in the Danube Delta are awarded every year. If one of these anglers that are entitled to 3
