English - Convention on Biological Diversity

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COUNTRY STUDY FOR BIODIVERSITY OF THE REPUBLIC OF MACEDONIA
3.6.2.2. Over hunting/fishing
Even though hunting management plans exist and there is also Public Enterprise for
Game Wardens and Hunting Inspections, poaching is still at a high level. In addition,
occurrences of illegal fishing and the use of prohibited fishing gear (including certain
types of nets, chemicals and explosives) cause grave concern.
There is insufficient data to allow a determination of the state of biological resource
exploitation resulting from hunting.
3.6.2.3. Trade in wildlife
Unfortunately, current data on the commerce of natural products do not exist;
therefore, it is not possible to make an assessment of its affect on the loss of biodiversity.
Prior to 2002, there was no information on the export of wild species, nor any sanctions
for its prevention. That year, the Ministry of Environment and Physical Planning
(MoEPP) began to prepare lists of endangered wild species of Fungi and plants (such
lists are also planned for animal species). In order to initiate the keeping of records on
the export of wild species from the Republic of Macedonia, these lists were submitted to
the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management and to the Administration
for Plant Protection, in order to be included on the list of products that are inspected for
health safety at border crossings. The system for monitoring the export of wild species
of flora and fauna has now commenced. Unfortunately, however, internal trade remains
unregulated. This is a pressing problem that should be dealt with as soon as possible.
Implementation of the <strong>Convention</strong> on International Trade in Endangered Species of
Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), which regulates the control of international trade in
wild species, faces many difficulties in the Republic of Macedonia. These are due
primarily to an overlap of administrative responsibilities, especially within the Ministry
of Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management, but also due to a lack of personnel in
the departments responsible for the inspection and control of trade.
3.6.2.4. Water extraction
Extraction of water from the upper and middle courses of rivers and streams is
conducted for the purposes of supplying drinking water to inhabited areas and/or
irrigation water to agricultural lands. As a result of the arid climate and the hydrological
regime within the Republic of Macedonia, such activities are very common.
Unfortunately, the priority of providing safe drinking water seldom takes protection of
natural watercourses into consideration (Section 3.3.2.4.).
Water extraction (i.e., water supply systems) is under the purview of the Ministry of
Agriculture, Forestry and Water Management (Administration for Water Management).
In cases of major water withdrawals, new construction projects have to provide for the
continuance of an ecological minimum water flow, which is often calculated as the flow
of the smallest recorded watercourse in the watershed. With such projects, several
serious problems can occur:
• accurate flow measurements are unknown for most of the small waterways in
Macedonia;
• inadequate ecological minimums may be chosen;
• control (or compliance) mechanisms and methods for sanctioning are lacking.