Abstract
<jats:p>Purpose. To consider the environmental aspects of qualifying the degree of damage in some European Union countries and in Ukraine. To identify prospects for further development of Ukrainian methodological approaches to classifying offenses according to the basic principles of classifying damage, which require further development or improvement. Methodology. General scientific research methods were used to prepare the article, among which analysis, synthesis, generalization, induction, deduction, explanation should be noted. Findings. According to the results of the analysis of the legislation of some European Union countries, it was established that in the Federal Republic of Germany, the qualification of offenses is carried out in accordance with local legislation and is carried out according to the following criteria: catching fish without a license, during the spawning or wintering period, using prohibited fishing gears, preventing migration, transporting fishing gears outside the fishing grounds, and taking protected species. In the Kingdom of Spain, the qualification of offenses by the significance of the harm is carried out according to the following criteria: destruction of the distribution area, fishing during the spawning or migration period, harvesting of species whose fishing is prohibited, stocking (releasing) invasive fish species into natural water bodies, and violation of fishing rules. Ukraine provides for both criminal and administrative liability for poaching aquatic biological resources. Basic principles of qualification of damage caused to aquatic biological resources as a result of illegal fishing, animal or other aquatic exploitation, is qualified as significant according to the following criteria: taking fish or animals, the catching of which is prohibited, catching fish during the spawning period, taking a large number of fish, destroying rare species or those whose reproduction is difficult. Originality. Methodological aspects of qualifying the materiality of damage in Ukraine are highlighted for the first time. An analytical description of the legislation of some EU countries in the field of illegal fishing in their inland waters has been carried out. Practical Value. The basic principles of qualifying the materiality of damage are necessary to determine the type of liability resulting from illegal fishing of aquatic biological resources in the inland waters of Ukraine. Keywords: materiality of damage, qualification, ecological value, poaching.</jats:p>