Anglers are landed with fines
FOUR IN COURT FOR BREACHING LICENCE LAWS
THREE Leicestershire anglers have been fined for fishing without a licence.
They and a fourth man, from Nottingham, received a combined penalty of £1,342. A day’s fishing licence would have cost them £7.10 each.
Anglers aged 13 or over on a river, canal or any form of still water must have a licence.
The Environment Agency uses the proceeds to protect fish stocks and make fishing sustainable.
The four men pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence last Monday at Northampton Magistrates’ Court.
The offences happened in October and November last year.
Kingsley Vickers, 29, of St Dunstan Road, Leicester, was found to be fishing without a licence at
Bluebell Lakes, Oundle, Northamptonshire, on November 2. He was ordered to pay a total penalty of £373, including a fine of £170, costs of £135 and a victim surcharge of £68.
Lee Hanson, 34, of Belfrey Close, Burbage, who pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence at the same location on the same date, was given a penalty of £375, including a fine of £172, costs of £135 and a victim surcharge of £68.
Paul Remer, 62, of Park Road, Narborough, was given a penalty of £403, including a fine of £192, costs of £135 and a victim surcharge of £76 after pleading guilty to fishing without a licence at Peatling
Parva Pools, in Leicestershire, on October 25.
Darius Hodgson, 43, of Killisick Road, Arnold, was given a penalty of £191, including a fine of £40, costs of £135 and a victim surcharge of £16 after pleading guilty to fishing without a licence at Butterley Reservoir, Ripley, Derbyshire, on November 18.
An Environment Agency spokesman 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 bye-laws 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.”