3 anglers to pay a total of £1,329 for fishing offences
Anglers from Walsall, Evesham and Burton-upon-Trent have been found guilty of fishing illegally.
- Anglers from Walsall, Evesham and Burton prosecuted for fishing offences
- Fisheries enforcement officers clamp down on illegal angling to protect fish stocks and make fishing sustainable
- Cases heard at Northampton Magistrates Court on Monday 13 January 2025
Anglers from Walsall, Evesham and Burton-upon-Trent have been found guilty for fishing offences in cases heard at Northampton Magistrates Court on Monday 13 January 2025.
Alex Jones, 40, of Jessie Road, Walsall, had 2 charges proved in his absence. He was ordered to pay a total of £443 for fishing without a licence at Foxhills Fishery, Great Barr, on 14 July 2023. He also left a rod or line with its bait or hook unattended on the same date. He was fined £220, costs of £135 and a victim’s surcharge of £88.
Sebastian Kucharski, 36, of Cheltenham Road, Evesham, also had his case proved in his absence. He was caught fishing without a licence at Manor Farm Fishery, Evesham, on 11 August 2024. He was fined £220, ordered to pay costs of £135 and a victim’s surcharge of £88.
Pavel Pavlov, 25, of Uxbridge Street, Burton-upon-Trent, was caught fishing without a licence at Longford Fishery, Longford, on 31 July 2024. He had his case proved in his absence and was fined £220, ordered to pay costs of £135 and a victim’s surcharge of £88.
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said:
We hope the penalties these illegal anglers have received will act as a deterrent to anyone who is thinking of breaking the laws we have in place across England.
Fishing illegally can incur a fine of up to £2,500 and offenders can also have their fishing equipment seized. We inspect rod licences 24/7, 7 days a week to check on cases of illegal fishing and for those caught cheating the system, we will always prosecute.
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 legal anglers.
Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water needs a licence to fish. A 1-day licence costs from just £7.10, and an annual licence costs from £35.80 (concessions available). Junior licences are free for 13 - 16-year-olds.
Licences are available from Buy a rod fishing licence for England and Wales - GOV.UK or by calling the Environment Agency on 0344 800 5386 between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.
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.
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.
The charges
Alex Jones
On 14 July 2024 at Foxhills Fishery, Great Barr, in a place where fishing is regulated, fished for freshwater fish or eels by means of an unlicensed fishing instrument, namely rod and line contrary to Section 27 (1) (a) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.
On 14 July 2024 at Foxhills Fishery, Great Barr, left a rod and line with its bait or hook in the water unattended or so that the person shall by unable at any time to take or exercise sufficient control over said road and line.
Contrary to Byelaw 10 of the Environment Agency National Byelaws which came to into force on 27 May 2001 and made pursuant to Section 210 and Schedule 25 of the Water Resources Act 1991 and contrary to Section 211 of the said Act.
Sebastian Kucharski
On 11 August 2024 at Manor Farm Fishery, Evesham, in a place where fishing is regulated, fished for freshwater fish or eels by means of an unlicensed fishing instrument, namely rod and line contrary to Section 27 (1) (a) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.
Pavel Pavlov
On 31 July 2024 at Longford Fishery, Longford, Derby, in a place where fishing is regulated, fished for freshwater fish or eels by means of an unlicensed fishing instrument, namely rod and line contrary to Section 27 (1) (a) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.