On 12 February 2018, at Guildford Magistrates court, Lee Grant, 38, of Eton Road, Southsea, and James Black, 29, of Heathyfields Road, Farnham were each fined £660 for fishing without a fishing licence, with costs of £127 and a victim surcharge of £66 imposed after a prosecution by the Environment Agency. The total penalty was £853 each.

Magistrates heard that on 23 September 2017, an Environment Agency enforcement officer found Lee and James fishing at Badshot Lea Ponds, Badshot Lea. A valid fishing licence is required to fish all waters in England. Neither were able to produce a valid fishing licence and were reported for that offence. James and Lee were each convicted in their absence.

David Brain, of the Environment Agency said

The majority of anglers fish legally and purchase a fishing licence. We invest the money from fishing licences back into fisheries improvements, fish stocks and fishing, this is essential for the future of the sport.

The minority of anglers that fail to buy a fishing licence are cheating their fellow anglers and the future of the sport. In addition fishing licence cheats risk a criminal conviction, a significant fine and could lose their fishing equipment.

During 2015-16 the Environment Agency checked more than 62,000 fishing licences and prosecuted more than 1,900 anglers for rod and line offences resulting in fines and costs in excess of £500,000.

Anyone witnessing illegal fishing incidents in progress can report it directly to the Environment Agency hotline, 0800 80 70 60. Information on illegal fishing and environmental crime can also be reported anonymously to Crime stoppers on 0800 555 111.

You need a valid Environment Agency Fishing Licence if you are aged 12 or over and fish for salmon, trout, freshwater fish, smelt or eel in England.

Junior fishing licences (aged 12-16) are now free, but you must still get a fishing licence online at www.gov.uk/get-a-fishing-licence.

Notes:

Try fishing. There are lots of events for spring and summer 2018 listed at www.getfishing.org.uk.

All media enquiries: 0800 141 2743. Please ask for the duty press officer.

Follow us on Twitter @EnvAgencySE

Foreign and Commonwealth Office Minister of State, Lord (Tariq) Ahmad of Wimbledon, will visit Cardiff to meet young people from the charity Children in Wales, including some representing Wales at the Commonwealth Summit, as well as people from Commonwealth diaspora groups.

He will also visit the home of elite sport in Wales where he will go behind the scenes to see how Team Wales athletes are training to deliver medal-winning performances at the Commonwealth Games on Australia’s Gold Coast in April. The Minister will be hosted by Brian Davies OBE, Director of Elite Performance at Sport Wales, on a tour of the National Sports Centre in Sophia Gardens, and meet the athletes, sports science and medical staff looking to propel Team Wales to podium positions.

The UK is set to host the annual Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in April with leaders travelling in from around the globe to take part in a week-long programme of activities focusing on the Summit’s theme ‘Towards a Common Future’.

Lord Ahmad said:

The Commonwealth is a unique family of nations. Its members account for two and a half billion people. The Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in April will focus on young people as we strive to meet the aspirations of the one billion people in Commonwealth countries under the age of 25.

From Cardiff to Canberra, from Bangor to Bangalore, if the future relevance of the Commonwealth is to be assured, it is vital that young people are involved in shaping decisions that affect their future, and that includes the young people of Wales.

I am incredibly hopeful for the future of our Commonwealth and the role Wales has to play in it.

Lord Ahmad will also meet the First Minister of Wales Carwyn Jones and Minister for Culture, Tourism and Sport Dafydd Elis-Thomas to discuss how the Welsh Government will play a key role in plans for the Commonwealth Summit.

A team work together on computers around a desk.