Courts hand out hefty fine to angler fishing without a licence on Lake Windermere
An Accrington man who was caught illegally fishing by the Environment Agency on Lake Windermere has been heavily fined by the courts.
Joshua Tyrie took a fishing trip to the popular spot on the 5th September 2021. However, after being approached by an Environment Agency Fisheries Enforcement Officer, it was found that Mr Tyrie was fishing without a licence.
Mr Tyrie was then told to appear at Carlisle Magistrates Court on Thursday 18th May. Tyrie of Holins Lane, Accrington, did not appear in court. In his absence, magistrates found him guilty of all charges and Tyrie was ordered to pay £1,736.
The total included a fine of £660 for fishing without a licence, with costs of £1,010 and a victim surcharge of £66. An annual fishing licence would have cost him just £30 a year.
Following the verdict, Darren Wilson, Environment Agency Fisheries Enforcement Officer, said:
This penalty for one angler is amongst the highest I’ve seen and shows how seriously the courts take these offences. We hope the high penalty will act as a deterrent to any angler who is thinking of fishing without a licence.
All anglers need a valid Environment Agency rod licence. The money raised through the sales of rod licences is re-invested back into the sport and illegal fishing undermines the Environment Agency’s efforts to make fishing sustainable. Anyone found fishing illegally may face prosecution and a fine of up to £2,500.
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.
Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water needs a licence. A 1-day licence costs from just £6 and an annual licence costs from just £30 (concessions available). Junior licences are free for 13 - 16-year-olds. Licences are available from www.gov.uk/get-a-fishing-licence or by calling the Environment Agency on 0344 800 5386 between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.
Anyone with information about illegal fishing activities can contact the Environment Agency incident hotline 24/7 on 0800 80 70 60 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.