AN ANGLER from Evesham has been ordered to pay more than £400 after being caught fishing without a licence.
Sebastian Kucharski, 36, of Cheltenham Road, had his case – at Northampton Magistrates Court earlier this month – proved in his absence. He was caught fishing without a licence at Manor Farm Fishery, Evesham, on August 11 last year. He was fined £220, ordered to pay costs of £135 and a victim’s surcharge of £88.
Fisheries enforcement officers clamp down on illegal angling to protect fish stocks and make fishing sustainable.
Two others from elsewhere in the country were also prosecuted – all three were forced to pay £1,329 between them.
A spokesperson for the Environment Agency said: “We hope the penalties these illegal anglers have received will act as a deterrent to anyone who is thinking of breaking the laws we have in place across England.”
Fishing illegally can incur a fine of up to £2,500 and unlicensed anglers can have their fishing equipment seized.
The spokesperson added: “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 one-day licence costs from just £7.10 and an annual licence costs from £35.80 (concessions available). Junior licences are free for 13 to 16-year-olds.
Licences are available from 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 Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
