Wakefield, Castleford and Dewsbury anglers net themselves fines after being prosecuted for illegally fishing

Between the 57 fishermen involved in prosecutions brought by the Environment Agency last month, the total amount to be paid in penalties was £18,766. An annual fishing licence would have cost them just £30 each.

The figure includes fines totalling over £10,000 for fishing without a licence, with costs of £6,755 and victim surcharges of just over £2,000. All cases were heard at Humber Magistrates' Court on November 25 and 30 2022.

A number of the defendants were also charged with fishing during the close season for coarse fish, which runs from March 15 to June 15 inclusive. Among them were several from West Yorkshire including:

Stuart Bailey of Bevin Close, Wakefield, was charged for not having a rod licence at Birkwood Farm Lake in Wakefield on March 17 2022.

And Stuart Wightman of Maple Road, Dewsbury, was charged for not having a rod licence at Rosedale Fishery in Scarborough on April 17 2022.

Josh Evans of Milnes Grove Castleford, was also charged for not having a rod license at the Rustic Arms in Ackworth on June 12 2022.

Lee Sheard of Cear Road, Dewsbury was charged for fishing in York during the closed season on May 11 2022.

Paul Caygill, Environment Agency Fisheries Enforcement Officer, said: “We’re continuing to see offenders receive significant fines for fishing illegally and, as these cases demonstrate, we will pursue offenders through the courts and won’t hesitate to take enforcement action where laws are broken. 

“All anglers need a valid rod licence.

"The money raised through the sales of rod licences is re-invested back into the sport and illegal fishing undermines the Environment Agency’s efforts to make fishing sustainable. Anyone found fishing illegally may face prosecution and a fine of up to £2,500. 

“Our fisheries enforcement officers routinely carry out licence checks, and we urge anyone with information about illegal fishing to contact us on 0800 807060.” 

The close season is in place to allow an uninterrupted spawning period and helps to protect vulnerable species. It also provides an opportunity for the Environment Agency and partners to carry out projects to further enhance habitats that are vital for improving fish stocks. 

An important task is monitoring spawning populations of barbel and chub, boosting understanding of populations and their habitat use.

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. 

Around £25 million is raised annually through fishing licences. This money pays for stocking waters with fish and improving rivers and fisheries for anglers and the wider environment. 

Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, stream, drain, canal or still water needs a licence to fish. A 1-day licence costs from just £6, and an annual licence currently costs from just £30 (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. 

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.