Poaching gang caught after man was seen retrieving net
A GANG who fished illegally in a Welsh river for 20 years were finally caught when a man turned up in the early morning to retrieve a net which had been placed in the water.
Eight men in total were involved in the two-decade-long poaching operation, according to Natural Resources Wales (NRW), which carried out an investigation following a serious poaching offence in May 2020, when NRW enforcement officers were patrolling a stretch of the River Teifi near Cenarth.
The officers found a gill net had been placed in the river and decided to monitor the area overnight. The following day, at around 5am, a man in dark clothing turned up at the scene and was seen retracting the net from the water.
Once he had realised that he was being watched, he fled the scene by jumping into the river.
He had already been identified as Emlyn Rees, a person known to the enforcement officers and who had three previous convictions for illegal fishing offences.
He was later arrested and a search of his home was carried out, leading to the launch of a wider investigation which exposed broader criminality spanning two decades.
“The impact of this illegal fishing operation on the Teifi, other watercourses and coastal waters cannot be underestimated,” said Gavin Bown, head of mid Wales operations at NRW. “These defendants have caused terrible damage to the stocks of salmon and sea trout and have seriously hindered the future prospects for the stocks of these iconic species.
“Their actions negate the outcomes and benefits that would otherwise arise from investment by responsible river users and from public funds. I would like to thank our dedicated team of enforcement officers, whose detailed and dogged investigation exposed an astounding scale of criminality. I would also like to thank our legal team for bringing these people to justice.
“The outcome at the magistrates’ court is the result of almost two years of hard work.
“We are also very grateful to our colleagues at Dyfed-Powys Police for their support, and to members of local angling associations who provided victim impact statements which greatly helped our case.”
Emlyn Rees, of Dan y Graig, Cenarth, pleaded guilty to illegal fishing charges at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday, along with seven others – Colin Gentle, of Penbryn; Matthew Phillips, of Adpar; Carl Rago, of Cilgerran; Dafydd Rees, of Williams Terrace, Cardigan; Ashley
Davies, of Ger y Meini, Cardigan; Nathan Pearson, of Kelbrook; and Andrew Lewer, of Pendre, Cardigan.
Gentle, Phillips, Rago and Dafydd Rees were each ordered to pay a fine, a victim surcharge and NRW’s costs totalling £8,370, £4,516, £2,916 and £4,808 respectively.
Davies, Pearson and Lewer pleaded guilty to lesser charges and were each given formal cautions.
Emlyn Rees, the main defendant and the man described by NRW as the “ringleader of the group” also had his case referred with a view to pursuing a Proceeds of Crime Act application.
That hearing has been set for Tuesday, April 19.