12 caught in South East illegal angling crackdown
As part of a continued crackdown, 12 cases of illegal angling were recently brought by the Environment Agency to court in Swindon and Hastings.
Fisheries Enforcement Officers out on patrol
The Environment Agency carries out enforcement work all year round and is supported by partners including the police and the Angling Trust. Fisheries enforcement work is intelligence-led, targeting known hot-spots and where illegal fishing is reported.
The following cases were heard at Hastings Magistrates Court on 28 July:
Filip Balan, 25, of Rudyard Grove, London was found guilty of fishing without a fishing licence at Hanningfield Reservoir, Runwell, Essex on 4 March 2023. He was ordered to pay a total penalty of £443, including a fine of £220, costs of £135, and a victim surcharge of £88.
John Glendinning, 40, of Bakers Court, Ashford, Kent was found guilty of fishing without a fishing licence at Cackle Hill Lakes, Biddenden, Kent on 8 April 2023. He was ordered to pay a total penalty of £443, including a fine of £220, costs of £135, and a victim surcharge of £88.
Alin Florin Ionita, 27, of Europa Hotel, Balcombe Road, Maidenbower, Crawley, West Sussex was found guilty of fishing without a fishing licence. This happened at Broadfield House Lake, Broadfield, Crawley, West Sussex on 9 April 2023. He was ordered to pay a total penalty of £443, including a fine of £220, costs of £135, and a victim surcharge of £88.
Danny Sharland, 34, of Beckets Close, Hastingleigh, Ashford, Kent was found guilty of fishing without a fishing licence at Singleton Lake, Ashford, Kent on 15 January 2023. He was ordered to pay a total penalty of £443, including a fine of £220, costs of £135, and a victim surcharge of £88.
Dave Henry Smith, 25, of Augustine Road, Orpington, London was found guilty of fishing without a fishing licence at Lullingstone Castle Lake, Shoreham, Kent on 17 January 2023. He was ordered to pay a total penalty of £443, including a fine of £220, costs of £135, and a victim surcharge of £88.
Ethan Johnson, 20, of Wood Leys, Chelmsford, Essex was found guilty of fishing during the coarse fish close season and fishing without a fishing licence. This happened on the River Chelmer, Little Waltham, Essex on 10 May 2023. He was ordered to pay a total penalty of £129, including a fine of £46, costs of £65, and a victim surcharge of £18.
Josh Hubble, 20, of Wood Leys, Chelmsford, Essex was found guilty of fishing during the coarse fish close season and fishing without a fishing licence. This took place on the River Chelmer, Little Waltham, Essex on 10 May 2023. He was ordered to pay a total penalty of £129, including a fine of £46, costs of £65, and a victim surcharge of £18.
The following cases were heard at Swindon Magistrates Court on 17 August 2023:
Dan Petiuc, 47, of Totteridge Common, London pleaded guilty of fishing for Trout during the close season at Water Lane on the River Itchen, Hampshire on 2 April 2023. He was ordered to pay a total penalty of £219, including a fine of £143, costs of £60, and a victim surcharge of £16.
Grzegorz Kryzanowski ,41, of Hurley Road, Greenford, Middlesex pleaded guilty of fishing for Trout during the close season. This took place at Riverside Park on the River Itchen, Hampshire on 2 April 2023. He was ordered to pay a total penalty of £335, including a fine of £143, costs of £135, and a victim surcharge of £57.
Damian Grzesiak, 35, of Locksway Road, Southsea, Portsmouth was found guilty of fishing for Trout during the close season on the River Itchen in Winchester on 2 April 2023. He was ordered to pay a total penalty of £443, including a fine of £220, costs of £135 and a victim surcharge of £88.
Roman Gamon, 38, of Uneeda Drive, Greenford, Middlesex pleaded guilty to fishing for Trout during the close season at Riverside Park on the River Itchen on 2 April 2023. He was ordered to pay a total penalty of £335, including a fine of £143, costs of £135, and a victim surcharge of £57.
Mickey Cunliffe, 52, from Marsh Gardens, Hedge End, Southampton pleaded guilty to fishing for Trout during the close season at Hockley on the River Itchen on 16 April 2023. He was ordered to pay a total penalty of £119, including a fine of £42, costs of £60, and a victim surcharge of £17.
Amir Fogel, Environment Agency Fisheries Team Leader, said:
We hope the penalties received by these illegal anglers will act as a deterrent to anyone who is thinking of breaking the laws and byelaws we have in place across England.
The cases show how seriously the courts take these offences and the anglers have been rightly punished for the illegal fishing they undertook. They could have bought a 1-day rod licence to fish for just £6.60 or an annual licence for £33 and avoided both the fine and court process.
Illegal fishing undermines the Environment Agency’s efforts to protect fish stocks and make fishing sustainable. Money raised from fishing licence sales is used to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries for the benefit of anglers.
In 2021 to 2022, fisheries enforcement officers checked just over 41,000 fishing licences and successfully prosecuted nearly 730 anglers for fishing without a licence.
Buy a fishing licence
Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water must purchase a fishing licence to fish in England and Wales. Annual licences start from £33 and can be purchased online or by phone, more information can be found here. You can buy a 1-day, 8-day or 12-month licence online, with the added benefit of the option to have a digital licence, saving postage costs and allowing more money to be spent on fisheries.
Anyone with information about illegal fishing activities can contact the Environment Agency incident hotline 24/7 on 0800 807060 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.