East Midlands anglers must pay fines following prosecutions for fishing illegally.
The case against Dean Dainty, 38, of Bridgegate Place, Retford, Nottinghamshire, was proved in his absence. Dainty was reported for fishing illegally at Hallcroft, near Retford, on 27 May 2024.
He was fined £220, ordered to pay costs of £135, and a victim’s surcharge of £88 for a total of £443.
Bogdan Buciumean, 42, of Gladstone Street, Loughborough, Leicestershire, admitted fishing illegally at Beechwood Park, Elvaston, on 2 June 2024. He was fined £147, ordered to pay costs of £135, and a victim’s surcharge of £58 for a total of £340.
Thomas Eyre, 24, of Woodlands Drive, Derby, admitted fishing illegally at Longford Fishery, near Derby, on 26 May 2024. He was fined £123, ordered to pay costs of £135, and a victim’s surcharge of £49 for a total of £307.
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 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 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 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 via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”
• Three Nottinghamshire men found guilty of illegal fishing including at Victoria Embankment
