Two anglers land penalties of almost £1,200 for fishing illegally
Two men from Nottinghamshire have been found guilty of fishing illegally on separate occasions earlier this year.
- Fishing without a licence and in the close season has an angler from Nottinghamshire a total penalty of £751
- Another Notts angler received a total penalty of £443 for fishing without a valid licence
- Fisheries enforcement officers clamp down on illegal angling to protect fish stocks and make fishing sustainable
Two men from Nottinghamshire have been found guilty of fishing illegally on separate occasions earlier this year. Their cases were brought by the Environment Agency to Northampton Magistrates Court on Monday 25 September.
Scott Foulds, 21, from Raines Park Road, Worksop, was proved guilty in absence of fishing without a licence at Shireoaks, Worksop on 25 February 2023. He was ordered to pay a total penalty of £443. The penalty includes a fine of £220, costs of £135 and a victim surcharge of £88.
In a separate case, George Hofman, 32 of Sandhill Road, Farndon, Newark was proved guilty in absence of fishing without a licence at Farndon - River Trent, Newark on 29 May 2023. In addition, he was proved guilty of fishing in the close season. He was ordered to pay fines of £220 for each offence, £135 costs, and a victim surcharge of £176, to make a total penalty of £751.
An annual fishing licence currently costs from £33.
Following the verdict, the East Midlands Fisheries Enforcement Team Leader at the Environment Agency, said:
“We hope the penalties the 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 £6.60, and an annual licence costs from £33 (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.
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.
Further information
Scott Foulds was charged with the following offence:
On the 25th day of February at Shireoaks, Worksop, 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.
George Hofman was charged with the following offences:
On the 29th day of May at Farndon – River Trent, Newark, 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.
On the 29th day of May at Farndon – River Trent, Newark, fished for freshwater fish in the close season, contrary to national byelaw 2 of the Environment Agency Byelaws made on 12th July 2010 and contrary to national byelaw 6 confirmed 23rd March 2010 made pursuant to sections 210 and 211 Schedule 25 of the Water Resources Act 1991.
To buy a rod licence visit: fishing licence information page on gov.uk