 | Men from Staffordshire, Warwickshire and West Midlands, and one from Crewe, have been found guilty of fishing illegally on separate occasions earlier this year. Their cases were brought by the Environment Agency to Northampton Magistrates Court on Monday 19 December. |
Christian Harold, 46, from Halford Street, Tamworth, was found guilty of fishing without a licence at Fisherwick Fishery in Lichfield, Staffordshire on 19 June 2022. He was proved guilty in absence and ordered to pay a total penalty of £295. The penalty includes a fine of £150, costs of £85 and a victim surcharge of £60.
In seperate cases, Craig Haden, 32, from Easthorpe Road, Birmingham, also pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence at Fisherwick Fishery in Lichfield, Staffordshire on 19 June 2022 and ordered to pay a total penalty of £297, including a fine of £116, costs of £135.00, and a victim surcharge of £46.
Jake Devine, 25, from Burford Close, Willenhall, West Midlands, pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence at Baden Hall Fishery, Eccleshall, Staffordshire on 7 July 2022. He was ordered to pay a total penalty of £297, including a fine of £116, costs of £135, and a victim surcharge of £46.
Jamie Park, 33, from Hales Gardens, Birmingham, was proved guilty in absence of fishing without a licence at Baden Hall Fishery, Eccleshall, Staffordshire on 7 July 2022. He was ordered to pay a total penalty £345, including a fine of £150, costs of £135, and a victim surcharge of £60.
Carl Melia, 63, from Drury Close, Crewe, was proved guilty in absence of fishing without a licence at Baden Hall Fishery, Eccleshall, Staffordshire on 7 July 2022. He was ordered to pay a total penalty of £345, including a fine of £150, costs of £135, and a victim surcharge of £60.
David Richardson, from Walsall Road, Great Wyrley, West Midlands, was proved guilty in absence of fishing without a licence at Chorley Springs, Burntwood, Staffordshire on 27 August 2022. He was ordered to pay a total penalty £345, including a fine of £150, costs of £135, and a victim surcharge of £60.
Nichola Tomlinson, Fisheries Enforcement Team Leader at the Environment Agency, said:
"These anglers have been rightly punished for the illegal fishing they undertook this summer, and the cases show how seriously the courts take these offences. We hope the penalties received by the illegal anglers will act as a deterrent to anyone who is thinking of breaking the laws and byelaws 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.
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 and, for those caught cheating the system, we will always prosecute.
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.
In seperate cases, Craig Haden, 32, from Easthorpe Road, Birmingham, also pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence at Fisherwick Fishery in Lichfield, Staffordshire on 19 June 2022 and ordered to pay a total penalty of £297, including a fine of £116, costs of £135.00, and a victim surcharge of £46.
Jake Devine, 25, from Burford Close, Willenhall, West Midlands, pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence at Baden Hall Fishery, Eccleshall, Staffordshire on 7 July 2022. He was ordered to pay a total penalty of £297, including a fine of £116, costs of £135, and a victim surcharge of £46.
Jamie Park, 33, from Hales Gardens, Birmingham, was proved guilty in absence of fishing without a licence at Baden Hall Fishery, Eccleshall, Staffordshire on 7 July 2022. He was ordered to pay a total penalty £345, including a fine of £150, costs of £135, and a victim surcharge of £60.
Carl Melia, 63, from Drury Close, Crewe, was proved guilty in absence of fishing without a licence at Baden Hall Fishery, Eccleshall, Staffordshire on 7 July 2022. He was ordered to pay a total penalty of £345, including a fine of £150, costs of £135, and a victim surcharge of £60.
David Richardson, from Walsall Road, Great Wyrley, West Midlands, was proved guilty in absence of fishing without a licence at Chorley Springs, Burntwood, Staffordshire on 27 August 2022. He was ordered to pay a total penalty £345, including a fine of £150, costs of £135, and a victim surcharge of £60.
Nichola Tomlinson, Fisheries Enforcement Team Leader at the Environment Agency, said:
"These anglers have been rightly punished for the illegal fishing they undertook this summer, and the cases show how seriously the courts take these offences. We hope the penalties received by the illegal anglers will act as a deterrent to anyone who is thinking of breaking the laws and byelaws 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.
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 and, for those caught cheating the system, we will always prosecute.
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.
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