 | A total of 13 anglers busted for flouting fishing rules have been handed court penalties topping £4,000. The rule-breakers from the Midlands were caught out by the Environment Agency. Their cases ended up before magistrates, who handed the defendants hefty penalties for fishing without a licence. An annual fishing licence currently starts from just £33.00 |
An Environment Agency spokesperson said: "We hope the penalties that these illegal anglers have received 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, seven 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." All the defendants were sentenced at Northampton Magistrates' Court on December 18.
Kevin Pearson, Angling Trust Regional Enforcement Support Manager for the Midlands said "Whilst it is disappointing to see that some anglers still either refuse to buy a rod licence or fail to see its importance, it is equally pleasing to see that the courts are recognising the seriousness of unlicensed fishing and that the work of our partners in the Environment Agency, supported by our volunteers in the Voluntary Bailiff Service, is paying off.
I would strongly urge anglers who are thinking about going fishing this week, but haven’t got a rod licence yet, to think again and take a few minutes to make that purchase and ensure that they are legal. It is so much better to have the peace of mind that you have done the right thing for angling and the environment and then be able to relax and enjoy your fishing!"
Five of the anglers were convicted in their absence by magistrates of fishing without a licence at Earlswood Lakes, Earlswood, near Solihull, on May 7 last year. Each of them were handed a £150 fine, £135 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.
They were:
A total of three anglers were also convicted in their absence of fishing without a licence at Buzzard Valley Fishery, Tamworth, on June 18 last year. The men were each handed a £150 fine, £135 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.
They were:
Other anglers sentenced include:
"We inspect rod licences 24/7, seven 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." All the defendants were sentenced at Northampton Magistrates' Court on December 18.
Kevin Pearson, Angling Trust Regional Enforcement Support Manager for the Midlands said "Whilst it is disappointing to see that some anglers still either refuse to buy a rod licence or fail to see its importance, it is equally pleasing to see that the courts are recognising the seriousness of unlicensed fishing and that the work of our partners in the Environment Agency, supported by our volunteers in the Voluntary Bailiff Service, is paying off.
I would strongly urge anglers who are thinking about going fishing this week, but haven’t got a rod licence yet, to think again and take a few minutes to make that purchase and ensure that they are legal. It is so much better to have the peace of mind that you have done the right thing for angling and the environment and then be able to relax and enjoy your fishing!"
Five of the anglers were convicted in their absence by magistrates of fishing without a licence at Earlswood Lakes, Earlswood, near Solihull, on May 7 last year. Each of them were handed a £150 fine, £135 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.
They were:
- Ion Miroiu, 46, of Tame Road, Birmingham
- Valentin Ionut Miroiu, 22, of Tame Road, Birmingham
- Cristian Paun, 36, of Deykin Avenue, Birmingham
- David Paun, 19, of Deykin Avenue, Birmingham
- Abel Paun, 31 of Electric Avenue, Birmingham
A total of three anglers were also convicted in their absence of fishing without a licence at Buzzard Valley Fishery, Tamworth, on June 18 last year. The men were each handed a £150 fine, £135 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.
They were:
- Christian Wickett, 50, of Laburnum Grove, Birmingham
- Andrew Shwalbe, 59, of Teal Drive, Birmingham
- Ritchie Hennessey, 33, of Turfpits Lane, Birmingham
Other anglers sentenced include:
- Jack Iley, 28, of Laburnum Grove, Nuneaton, was convicted in his absence of fishing without a licence at Ridings Fishery, Grendon, on June 18 last year. He was ordered to pay a £150 fine, £135 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.
- Brett Steed, 40, of Westbourne Street, Walsall, was convicted in his absence of fishing without a licence at Hatherton Lake, Walsall, on July 15 last year. He was ordered to pay a £150 fine, £135 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.
- Aaran Everitt, 28, of Greenwood Road, Walsall, admitted fishing without a licence at Pipe Hill. He was ordered to pay a £102 fine, £135 costs and a £40 victim surcharge.
- Darren Hawkins, 31, from Hipkiss Gardens, Droitwich, was convicted in his absence of fishing without a licence at Herriotts Pool, Droitwich, on July 20 last year. He was ordered to pay a £150 fine, £135 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.
- Mikolaj Wisniewski, 42, of Abbey Road, Erdington, admitted fishing without a licence at Birmingham & Fazeley Canal, Gravelly Hill, on July 30. He was ordered to pay a £57 fine, costs of £135 and a £22 victim surcharge.
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