Under the procedural guidance of the Specialized Environmental Prosecutor's Office of the Prosecutor General's Office, a suspicion has been announced against the director of the state enterprise "Institute of Fisheries and Marine Ecology" for abuse of office in the interests of private business entities, which caused severe consequences for state interests (part 2 of Article 364 of the Criminal Code of Ukraine).

According to the investigation, the official organized virtually uncontrolled fishing in the waters of the Azov Sea under the guise of scientific research. To this end, he approved "research" programs with deliberately distorted fishing methodologies. The official also allowed the involvement of his own employees as formal "observers" on the fishermen's vessels, who were supposed to monitor the fishing process.

Over the course of six months, 257.5 tons of fish were illegally obtained in this manner. The fishermen delivered the catch to their own fish receiving points and sold it, without reflecting the corresponding operations in the accounting records of the Institute. This caused damages to state interests amounting to over 2.3 million UAH.

Currently, the issue of choosing a preventive measure for the suspect is being resolved.

The pre-trial investigation is being conducted by investigators of the Main Investigation Department of the National Police with operational support from the Security Service of Ukraine, with procedural guidance from the Specialized Environmental Prosecutor's Office of the Prosecutor General's Office.

Note: According to Article 62 of the Constitution of Ukraine, a person is presumed innocent of committing a crime and cannot be subjected to criminal punishment until their guilt is proven in a lawful manner and established by a guilty verdict of the court.