£20,000 bill for illegal fishing in Yorkshire

MORE than 50 people will have to pay a total of more than £20,000 after being caught fishing illegally in Yorkshire.

The Environment Agency’s Fisheries Enforcement Officers caught 56 anglers across the region fishing without licences. The unlicensed fishers have been fined just under £10,000 and forced to pay costs and victim surcharges totalling more than £11,000.

Four offenders were caught fishing without a licence at Birkwood Fisheries in Normanton, Wakefield, while seven unlicensed anglers were caught at Three Lakes, Selby, and another four were caught committing their offences at Risby Park Lake, Beverley.

The offences took place between April and the end of September last year.

All 56 cases were heard at Hull and Holderness Magistrates Court on February 26.

Paul Caygill, Fisheries Enforcement Officer at the Environment Agency, said: “The Environment Agency takes illegal fishing very seriously, and hopefully, these penalties make clear that for those who flout the law, enforcement will be pursued.

“Simply buying a one-day rod licence or an annual licence for £6.60 and £33 respectively would have prevented the court process and the subsequent fines – instead they have paid hundreds of pounds more than needed.

“The money raised from fishing licence sales is used to help improve and protect the UK’s fish stocks and fisheries, so we can all enjoy fishing for a long time. Illegal fishing undermines our efforts to make fishing sustainable and achieve this goal.”

The Environment Agency undertakes enforcement work throughout the year and works alongside the police and the Angling Trust. They also have an incident line to report illegal fishing 24 hours a day on 0800 80 70 60.

Any angler aged 13 or over must have a fishing licence in order to fish in a river, canal, or body of still water in England and Wales. Annual licences start from £33 and can be purchased online or via phone.