We wrote in August this year about both August incidents of poaching, the successful one and the thwarted one. On 6 August, we reported on an incident that took place at the “Wizowska” reservoir (near Graniczna Street in Bolesławiec). A man recorded a poacher who used a crossbow to hunt two fine carp in the aforementioned body of water, then took the fish to his car and drove away.
A video recorded by Nuc Nuc.
Our Reader summed up the entire situation best:
Killing 30-year-old fish is f***ing disgraceful and has nothing to do with hunting.
An ichthyologist estimated the loss suffered by the Polish Angling Association’s Jelenia Góra District at more than PLN 400. (The prosecutor at the District Prosecutor’s Office in Bolesławiec approved the police’s refusal to initiate an investigation into the theft in this case, because under the law it constitutes only a petty offence. If the carp had been worth at least PLN 525, it would already have been a crime).
Nevertheless—as istotne.pl was informed by Janusz Latoch, County Commander of the Social Fisheries Guard—the case will go to court and the man will answer, among other things, for poaching. The legal adviser of the PAA District will act as an auxiliary prosecutor.
The second case—from the end of August—is also nearing its conclusion. It took place at the popular Krępnica (Bolesławiec gmina). Anglers and a fisheries guard officer noticed a diver swimming with an almost 70-centimetre crossbow. They began following him and called Janusz Latoch.
He advised them not to approach too closely and to document the entire incident. (There are photographs and a short video).
As J. Latoch told the istotne.pl portal at the time, human life is the most important thing. Such a crossbow can easily penetrate a 2–3-centimetre board, let alone if the poacher had shot at a person. After all, it would have been enough for his finger to slip...
Unfortunately, the poacher escaped.
When asked for comment in August, Janusz Latoch summed it up: “It makes your hands drop!” The suspect could even face charges for endangering human life, because one cannot swim in a reservoir used by people with such a crossbow. (The man should have safety support and dive in a designated area. What is more, a court may revoke his diving licence for this).
The case has already gone to court. A verdict is expected soon.
We will return to this topic.