West Midlands anglers land total penalties of over 拢1,500
Four anglers from Birmingham, Stoke on Trent, Telford, and Shrewsbury received total penalties of 拢1,507 for fishing without a licence.
An Environment Agency enforcement officer talks to an angler in the West Midlands.
Four men from the West Midlands have been found guilty of fishing illegally at Northampton Magistrates Court in cases brought by the Environment Agency on Monday 12 February 2024.
Vasile Bogdan, 54, of Barrows Road pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence at Mereside Fishery, Earlswood, Birmingham on 16 July 2023. He has received a total penalty of 拢339, including a fine of 拢146, costs of 拢135 and a victim surcharge of 拢58.
Another angler, Dumitru Bosinceanu, 29, of Burford, Telford also pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence at Baden Hall Fishery, Eccleshall, Staffordshire on 23 September 2023.聽 He was handed a penalty of 拢297, including a fine of 拢116, costs of 拢135 and a victim surcharge of 拢46.
The other two anglers were proved guilty in absence of fishing without a licence.聽 They are Stefan Morse, 30, of Oxford Road, Stoke on Trent who was fishing at Chatterley Whitfield, Chell Heath, Tunstall, Staffordshire on 22 August 2023, and David Spragg, 58, of Freer Meadow, Shrewsbury for fishing at Strichley Pools, Telford on 21 September 2023.
Mr Morse was handed a penalty of 拢443, including a fine of 拢220, costs of 拢135 and a victim surcharge of 拢88 and Mr Spragg received a penalty of 拢428, including a fine of 拢220, costs of 拢120 and a victim surcharge of 拢88.
Following the verdict, a spokesperson for the Environment Agency said:
鈥淲e hope the penalties these anglers have received sends out a message to others that illegal fishing is taken seriously and those who flout the law can expect to face enforcement action.
鈥淭hey could have bought a one-day rod licence for just 拢6.60 or an annual licence costs from 拢33, which would have avoided both the fine and court process, so this has proved costly for them.
鈥淔ishing illegally can incur a fine of up to 拢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.
鈥淚llegal fishing undermines the Environment Agency鈥檚 efforts to protect fish stocks and make fishing sustainable.鈥� Money raised from fishing licence sales is used to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries for the benefit of legal anglers.鈥�
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 拢6.60, and an annual licence costs from 拢33 (concessions available). Junior licences are free for 13 - 16-year-olds.
Licences are available from聽 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.
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