<blockquote class=quoteheader>Winston Churchill wrote (
see)</blockquote><blockquote class=quote>What about the poor bloke who simply forgot? A fairweather angler that doesn't do winters and wasn't aware that his licence had expired? An occasional angler in possession of all his club books and all his previous rod licences? </blockquote>
Then he should know better, You need a licence to fish and he would know that better than most, so there's no excuse.
I buy my licence every year, I make sure I have it in my tackle box ready to produce if I am required to do so, whats the big hardship with that.
If you have not got a licence don't fish, bring in standard fixed penalties, £200 for the first offence, £500 for the second offence, £1000 for the third offence and confiscate the tackle of repeat offenders.
Anglers think nothing of spending a lot of money on the latest bit of kit or bait, how many poundsworth of gear do you take to the lake or river with you to enjoy your favourite pastime. A carp or pike angler two decent rods, reels, bivvy etc etc maybe total cost being six or seven hundred pounds or more. So £25.00 for a licence to use rod and line is not that much in the grand scheme of things, is it.