People should enjoy their right to fish for free, the president said, adding that the Prosecutor General's Office is responsible for ensuring this right.
He also instructed regional governors to refrain from holding tenders or otherwise distributing water areas for commercial fishing.
Putin issued the relevant instructions to Krainy.
"The moratorium on bidding should be extended until you, lawmakers and the public, reach an agreement and draft a new bill on non-profit fishing," he said.
This should also be done promptly, he warned. The public has to be involved so that "the adoption of a final decision on the issue will be transparent and considerate," Putin added.
"It should improve the situation rather than make it worse," he said.
According to the prime minister, commercial areas should account for only a small part of the overall water area.
"People are simply worried that these decisions will soon transform traditional fishing holes into commercially designated areas where they will have to pay," he said. "I know that these fishing vouchers cost anywhere between 500 and 1,000 roubles near Moscow. Why do they need your vouchers? For 200 or 300 roubles, they can take their 'vitamins' for the day and have a great time. By the way, I fully share their concern."
Krainy agreed to arrange a broad discussion of the issue.
The uproar began two months ago when reports appeared that the agency planned to auction several thousand fishing areas.
Krainy reassured the public that new commercial sports fishing areas will account for less than 1% of the total.
He also said that the new owners of these areas will not just charge people for their time with their fishing rods. They will also develop and improve the areas and breed more fish.
Anastasia Savinykh, Alexei Aronov