A PAIR of Evesham anglers have each been fined £345 after they were found guilty of fishing without a licence.
The court found Thomas Dee, 24, and Darius Dee, 21, both of Ellison Close, guilty in their absence. The case relates to an incident in July 2023 at Manor Farm Pools, Evesham.
Their penalty includes a fine of £150, costs of £135 and a victim surcharge of £60. An annual fishing licence currently costs from £33.
In addition, Stanimir Bachvarov, 43, of Mayhill Way, Gloucester pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence at Manor Farm Pools, on the same day.
His £219 penalty includes a fine of £60, costs of £135 and a victim surcharge of £24.
Following the verdicts, a spokesperson at the Environment Agency which brought the cases said:
“These cases show how seriously the courts take these offences and all three men have been rightly punished for fishing without a licence.
“We hope the cases act as a reminder to anglers of the importance of having a rod licence before they go fishing and deter them from fishing illegally.
“All of the money raised from rod licence sales is used to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries for the benefit of anglers.
“For those caught cheating the system, we will always prosecute.”
Thousands of anglers are prosecuted every year across the country for not having fishing licenses.
As well as cheating other anglers, fishing illegally can carry a hefty penalty. A fine of up to £2,500 is possible for those caught without a licence.
Income from rod licence sales is used to fund Environment Agency work to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries. It also improves habitats for fish and facilities for anglers, tackle illegal fishing and working with partners to encourage people to give fishing a go.
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 £6.60 and an annual licence costs from £33 (concessions available).
Junior licences are free for 13 to 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, along with partners such as the police and the Angling Trust, enforces work throughout the year.
Intelligence-led fisheries enforcement targets known hot-spots and reports of illegal fishing.
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.
