Net closes on bumper catch of illegal anglers

Ten men caught by Environment Agency officers fishing without a licence were ordered to pay a total of ?1,045 at High Wycombe Magistrates? Court. On Wednesday 5 April the court heard that the separate incidents all took place between 27 August 2006 and 23 September 2006 at fisheries in Iver and Bourne End, Buckinghamshire.

Environment Agency regional fisheries specialist Matt Carter said: "Those who try to cheat the system and avoid buying a rod licence are cheating their fellow anglers. All the money raised from licence sales is put straight back into improving the environment for wildlife and anglers.

"We are delighted the court has taken this action today. Illegal anglers should realise that our officers are on the riverbank and if anyone is caught flouting the law they will be caught and punished."

The Environment Agency's Fisheries Administration Support Team (FAST) licences anglers across England, Wales and the Border Esk, and it is their dedicated prosecution team that takes action against anyone caught fishing without a licence.

The following cases were heard:

Lee Senning, 29, of Ripley Close, New Addington, Croyden, Surrey, was fined ?50 and ordered to pay ?70 costs for fishing without a rod licence on 27 August 2006 at Farlows Lake, Iver, Buckinghamshire.
David Moreton, 25, of Courtfield Avenue, Harrow, Middlesex, was fined ?80 and ordered to pay ?70 costs for fishing without a licence on 27 August 2006 at Farlows Lake, Iver, Buckinghamshire.
Oliver Le Fleming Shepherd, 25, or Hamilton Road, Ealing, was fined ?50 and ordered to pay ?70 costs for fishing without a rod licence on 27 August 2006 at Farlows Lake, Iver, Buckinghamshire.
Peter Duke, 45, of Marine parade, Shareness, Kent, was fined ?30 and ordered to pay ?70 costs for fishing without a rod licence on 27 August 2006 at Farlows Lake, Iver, Buckinghamshire.
Matthew Nickson, 20, of Pinewood Road, Iver Heath, Buckinghamshire, was fined ?60 and ordered to pay ?70 costs for fishing without a rod licence on 3 September 2006 at Wood Lane Lakes, Iver, Buckinghamshire.
Luke Keet, 21, of Evreham Road, Iver, Buckinghamshire, was fined ?30 and ordered to pay ?35 costs for fishing without a rod licence on 3 September 2006 at Wood Lane Lakes, Iver, Buckinshire.
Carl Budden, 34, of Wood Lane, Dartford, Kent was fined ?40 and ordered to pay ?70 costs for fishing without a licence on 16 September 2006 at Farlows Lake, Iver, Buckinghamshire.
Shane Sadler, 19, of Tudor Road, Hayes, Middlesex, was fined ?40 and ordered to pay ?70 costs for fishing without a rod licence on 16 September 2006 at Farlows Lake, Iver, Buckinghamshire.
Shaun Atherton, 36, of Zouch Close, Tidworth, Hampshire, was fined ?60 and ordered to pay ?70 costs for fishing without a rod licence on 16 September at Farlows Lake, Iver, Buckinghamshire.
Mark Jewell, 31, of Belswains Lane, Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire, was fined ?50 and ordered to pay ?70 costs for fishing without a rod licence on 23 September 2006 at Westbrook Mere, Bourne End, Buckingshire.
Buying a licence couldn't be easier - there are around 15,000 Post Offices and other outlets which sell them direct, and for a small additional charge they can be purchased over the phone on 0870 1662662 or from our web site - www.environment-agency.gov.uk/fish.

They got a few there then, glad I've got mine !

Serves em right. Should have confiscated their tackle as well.

The fines are still not harsh enough ,fine them the maximum .

I don't understand why they were all given different fines.

?50, ?80, ?50, ?30, ?60, ?30, ?40, ?60, ?30 ?

Where is the consistency?

Is it the day on which you were caught that lessens the fine? Perhaps Wednesdays they are more lenient on you? Sunday 27th August, OUCH, that's the ?80!

Hang on, most of them were fishing on the Sunday? Was the magistrate drunk or what? It's all a b****y farce. Les is right, it should be the maximum, nothing less.



Makes note: Avoid Farlows lake in future......

The inconsistency could depend on a number of things. One of which could be how much they co-operated with the bailiff. The more lies they tell, the more aggressive attitude, then the deeper the hole they will have dug for themselves.
I still think they got off lightly, and it will also depend on the judge on the day.

One angler near me got fined a total of ?200 last week.

Still not prosecuting imigrants then??

Ay Baz,

It's bloody hard up North! All them soft southern jessies live in houses that would buy an entire estate up here (or at least in Salford!), they have easy waters full of pumped up specimens and then...the bloody magistrates fine them the price of a bottle of cheap wine in one of their posh chippies!!!!

Northern Magistrates - they'd hang licence dodgers if they could - they still use torture to extract confessions from cyclists riding without lights!!!

Seriously good to see the blighters caught and named and shamed - confiscation of tackle is essential (I believe the French do it!)....and why not do what now happens with uninsured cars - don't produce documents within a set period....we crush your gear!

steady on paul i,m a southerner mate and nout wrong with me and i take offence at that remark were not all tar,d with the same brush and i aint a jessie just a normal bloke that loves fishing and i pay me licence.and the fishing round ere aint bleedin easy

What's the point in imposing such pathetic fines plus costs when the EA have the power to ask magistrates for ?1000 fines?
So when was the last time such a penalty was imposed?
?50-60 quid; you get fined more by the council for putting the wrong rubbish in your bin!
When a licence costs ?24.50 what sort of deterent is a fine of ?30! Laughable.
No wonder these people take the pi$$ out the system.

Bob.
It's a well known fact that you jessies can't take it. Just look how you are complaining right now.

take it and give it my friend but i thought this was a fishing site, but all i read lately is polotics and personal shit slinging we are all on the same side no matter where were from bring it on hitler but if you come down south with that hair style you,ll prob end up swimming ome

That's right, threaten me with violence then. I only called you a jessie. Are they all like this from darn sarf?

Rise above it Bob, they are just jealous!
It's got something to do with black puddings and "ecky thump"???

The fines are pathetic, smack em with the max, they won't do it again!

nah nice bunch of blokes ere mate and me threaten you i wouldnt dare you might beat me up us jessies are very puny you know, all i,d realy do is shove a feeder rod aup your bum and spin you on an arsley bomb for a bit just to get you beggin for mercy lol

by the way baz a local club were i fish cought some polish blokes just after xmas netting the lake they were reported and prosicuted and all they got was a caution .you think i,m not pissed off with the way courts are handling things if i had my way they,d be back in poland .

take it and give it my friend but i thought this was a fishing site, but all i read lately is polotics and personal shit slinging we are all on the same side no matter where were from bring it on hitler but if you come down south with that hair style you,ll prob end up swimming ome

Slow down Bob you've done that one already???

;-)

yeh dont know how that happened must be me southern typing but its come up twice tried to delete it but it wont go lol