(PHOTO) Technology Serving Nature: The EPI Receives Drones and Sonars to Protect the Nistru and Prut Rivers

The Environmental Protection Inspectorate (EPI) received modern equipment from UNDP Moldova with support from the Swedish Government.

The new gear includes 15 thermal drones, three sonars for detecting illegal fishing nets in rivers or lakes, monitoring aquatic wildlife, and mapping riverbeds, as well as 18 surveillance cameras, 15 body cameras for documenting field interventions, 18 binoculars, 25 flashlights, and tactical clothing and footwear. Authorities will prioritize the use of drones and sonar along the Nistru and Prut rivers, where poaching, illegal net placements, and unauthorized water pumping frequently threaten natural resources.

“We will also use the drones to detect illegal logging and forest poaching, as they feature thermal vision, can operate at night, reach distances up to 20 km, and access hard-to-reach forested terrain. The real-time footage allows inspectors to act quickly and accurately—right where environmental threats emerge. These drones will serve the Wildlife and Fisheries Resource Control Division and the 13 EPI territorial inspections across the Nistru Basin,” the Environment Ministry stated.

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Over 40 environmental inspectors from the EPI’s local units have received training to operate the equipment to its fullest capacity.

“These tools aren’t just tech investments—they’re investments in efficiency and public trust. With rising environmental pressure, EPI must be fast, present, and well-equipped. Field feedback makes it clear: where institutions have resources, they act. And where they act, citizens’ perceptions shift—the law starts to be respected, not ignored,” said Environment Minister Sergiu Lazarencu.

The UNDP Moldova delivered the equipment through its 2022–2026 project ”Supporting Moldovan Authorities in the Sustainable Management of the Nistru River,” with funding from the Swedish Government. The project also supports modernization efforts at other environmental institutions, including the Environmental Agency’s reference lab—which will improve water monitoring—and the State Hydrometeorological Service through the acquisition of monitoring stations.