- Fishing without a licence has cost three anglers from Leicestershire total penalties of £1,151
- An angler from Nottingham also received a total penalty of £191 for fishing without a licence
- Fisheries enforcement officers clamp down on illegal angling to protect fish stocks and make fishing sustainable
The four men pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence in cases brought by the Environment Agency at Northampton Magistrates Court on Monday 4 April 2024.
The four anglers received combined penalties of £1,342. A day's fishing licence would have cost each of them £7.10.
Kingsley Vickers, 29, of St. Dunston Road, Leicester was found to be fishing without a licence at Bluebell Lakes, Oundle, Northamptonshire on 2 November 2023. 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, from Belfrey Close, Burbage, Leicestershire who also pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence at the same location on the same date has received a penalty of £375, including a fine of £172, costs of £135 and a victim surcharge of £68.
Paul Remer, 62, from Park Road, Narborough, Leicestershire received 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 25 October 2023.
Darius Hodgson, 43, from Killisick Road, Arnold, Nottingham received 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 on 18 November 2023.
Following the verdicts, a spokesperson at the Environment Agency, 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."
Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water needs a licence to fish. A 1-day licence costs from just £7.10, and an annual licence costs from £35.80 (concessions available). Junior licences are free for 13 - 16-year-olds.
Licences are available from www.gov.uk/get-a-fishing-licence or by calling the Environment Agency on 0344 800 5386 between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.
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.
The offences
Kingsley Vickers: On the 2nd day of November 2023 at Bluebell Lakes, Oundle in a place where fishing is regulated, fished for freshwater fish or eels by means of an unlicensed fishing instrument, namely rod and line. Contrary to Section 27(1)(a) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.
Lee Hanson: On the 2nd day of November 2023 at Bluebell Lakes, Oundle in a place where fishing is regulated, fished for freshwater fish or eels by means of an unlicensed fishing instrument, namely rod and line. Contrary to Section 27(1)(a) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.
Paul Remer: On the 25th day of October 2023 at Peatling Parva Pools, Peatling Parva in a place where fishing is regulated, fished for freshwater fish or eels by means of an unlicensed fishing instrument, namely rod and line. Contrary to Section 27(1)(a) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.
Darius Hodgson: On the 18th day of November 2023 at Butterley Reservoir, Ripley, in a place where fishing is regulated, fished for freshwater fish or eels by means of an unlicensed fishing instrument, namely rod and line. Contrary to Section 27(1)(a) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.
