Illegal fishing net recovered in North East
The Environment Agency has seized an illegal fishing net at Skinningrove in Redcar and Cleveland.
The illegal net set across Kilton Beck
The 5m x 2m illegal gill net was set across Kilton Beck and was recovered after Fisheries Enforcement Officers received a report on Tuesday (October 20).
The enforcement team have recovered a number of illegal nets of this type from across the North East – including Northumberland, Wearside and Teesside - over recent months and are carrying out investigations.
A licensed, strictly regulated and managed sea trout fishery operates along the North East coast.
Nets are ‘indiscriminate in nature’
David Shears, Fisheries Enforcement Officer for the Environment Agency in the North East, said:
The net was of ideal size to create an impenetrable barrier across the full width of the beck and is reported to have been set like that the previous day.
Kilton Beck is an important coastal stream for migratory trout, so this net would prevent those fish from reaching their natural spawning grounds.
Illegal nets such as this are indiscriminate in nature have the potential to catch and kill large numbers of fish, as well as potentially harming other wildlife that are unfortunate to get tangled in them.
Once again, we received a tip-off about this net, which highlights just how important it is for people to report information to us that helps protect the local fishing industry.
It is illegal for individuals to fish for salmon or sea trout by net without an official licence from the Environment Agency.
Those who operate unlicensed nets leave themselves open to the full force of the law. There are unlimited fines and possible prison sentences available to the courts when initiating prosecution cases.
Environment Agency Fisheries Enforcement Officers patrolling coasts and rivers and responding to reports of illegal fishing are abiding by the latest Coronavirus government guidance.
If you ever wish to report any incidents of illegal fishing or poaching then please contact the Environment Agency’s 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.