Magistrates order 15 anglers to pay almost £9,000 for illegal fishing activity
Fifteen people caught fishing illegally in Norfolk, Essex and Suffolk have been ordered to pay fines, costs and victim surcharges totalling nearly £9,000.
Environment Agency officer checking a fishing licence
Twelve anglers were fined for unlicensed fishing, two people were fined for possession of unlicensed instrument with intention to fish, and one person was fined for unlicensed fishing and providing a false name and address.
Fines issued during a day of sentencing at Luton Magistrates’ Court last month ranged from £330 to £660 and each angler was ordered to pay £127.47 in costs and a victim surcharge of between £30 and £60.
The total amount of fines came to £6,410, the total costs amounted to £1912.05 and the victim surcharge total was £637.
Those appearing before magistrates included:
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Four people caught in Suffolk - two at Chantry Park in Ipswich and two at Suffolk Water Park
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Six people caught in Essex - three at Newland Hall Fishery, one at Hanningfield Reservoir and two at Weeley Lakes
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Five people caught on the Norfolk Broads - two on the River Bure, two at Rollesby Broad and one at Womack Water.
The majority of offences were identified during routine patrols and partnership patrols, where Fisheries Enforcement Officers were joined by colleagues from partner agencies such as Norfolk Police and the Broads Authority.
The two cases relating to Chantry Park were identified during a patrol carried out in response to a call received through the Environment Agency’s Incident Hotline from a member of the public.
Environment Agency Enforcement Team Leader Lesley Robertson said:
These cases show that anyone found fishing illegally or fails to provide their name and address to an Officer carrying out their duties may face prosecution and a fine.
The money raised through the sales of rod licences is re-invested and enables us to improve all fisheries including rivers for anglers. Our officers routinely undertake licence checks and we urge anyone with information about illegal fishing activities to contact us.
Illegal fishing should be reported to the Environment Agency’s Incident Hotline on 0800 80 70 60.