Starting August 1, Uzbekistan will implement a temporary ban on hunting certain rare and critically endangered wild animals, as mandated by a government decree enacted on June 30.
The restriction will remain in effect until January 1, 2028, and applies to the specific wildlife species outlined in the appendix of the decree. However, the ban does not apply to wild animals kept or bred in farms, nurseries, hatcheries, fish nurseries, and pond fisheries, nor does it cover hunting conducted strictly for scientific and medical purposes.
Furthermore, authorities are prohibited from allocating hunting quotas for any of the rare and endangered wild animals protected under this ban. The decree also introduces comprehensive measures to restore aquatic bioresources. Under these guidelines, between August 1, 2026, and January 1, 2030, at least 15 tons of fish fingerlings must be released annually into the rivers and streams flowing through the country's central cities.
This restocking process will follow a specialized list curated by the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change alongside the Academy of Sciences.
In addition, the National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change has been tasked with tightening controls against illegal hunting and poaching, while relevant ministries and agencies have been directed to enforce the new regulations on the ground.
The National Committee on Ecology and Climate Change previously announced that the standard hunting season across the country remains closed from March 1 to August 15. The agency urges citizens to treat the natural environment with care and responsibility during the off-season.
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