Environmental inspectors tighten oversight of watercraft in Lithuania’s water bodies

Environmental protection officials in Lithuania have intensified inspections of watercraft in the country’s water bodies, uncovering 28 violations during a recent campaign, the state Environmental Protection Department reported on Tuesday.

Between April 1 and June 21, inspectors conducted 71 raids across 204 water bodies, checking 132 privately owned vessels. The majority of violations were recorded in protected areas, including Kaunas Reservoir, Gražutė, Veisiejai, Anykščiai, and Asveja regional parks.

The most common offence involved private vessels operating in protected water areas without compliance with environmental regulations. A total of 20 such cases were documented.

On June 20, officials in Kaunas Reservoir Regional Park and Asveja Regional Park in Molėtai district identified three instances of individuals using jet skis with internal combustion engines and water jet pumps. Such watercraft are banned year-round in Asveja Lake, while restrictions in Kaunas Reservoir apply from the start of the boating season until June 20.