A new version of Article 59 of the federal law ”On Fauna” has been introduced and stipulates that any members of the animal kingdom that have been seized or confiscated must be returned to their habitat. The modifications stipulate that if the members of the animal kingdom or the food stuffs they produce are not in a physical condition that allows them to be returned to their habitat, then these products must be sold or destroyed according to the regime established by the government cabinet of the Russian Federation. Seizing or confiscating animals does not liberate citizens or legal persons who have illegally obtained species of fauna from the obligation to pay for the damages caused to the animals themselves and their habitats.
Article 54 supplements the federal law “On Fisheries and the Preservation of Biological Resources in Bodies of Water” and stipulates biological resources in bodies of water including sturgeons, members of the salmon species, crabs, including king crabs, sea scallops, sea cucumbers, sea urchins that have been seized or confiscated must be returned to their habitat. The modifications stipulate that if the biological resources in bodies of water and the food stuffs they produce, including caviar, are not in a physical condition that allows them to be returned to their habitat, then these products must be immediately destroyed.