Anglers have been handed out nearly £8,000 in fines and costs this week in a series of cases brought before magistrates.

Cases brought by the Environment Agency against 11 people were proved in their absence by Northampton magistrates on Monday.

The largest bill for fines and costs was handed out to Christopher Downing, 29, of Lucknow Road, Willenhall, who was charged with fishing without a licence and failing to state his name and address when required to do so by a fisheries bailiff at Lunt Pool, Bilston, on 24 July last year. He was fined a total of £880 and ordered to pay costs and victim surcharge totalling £193.47.

Four people were each fined £440 and ordered to pay costs and victim surcharge totalling £171.47 for fishing without a licence at Baden Hall Fishery, Eccleshall. They are: Jobe Cresswell, 22, of Hobs Road, Wednesbury, Jack Capper, 20, of Brookland Cottages, Colclough Lane, Stoke-on-Trent, Gary Traynor, 34, of Greenside, Yarnfield and Callum Mcmanus, 23, of Richards Street, Wednesbury. All of the offences took place on 22 July, 2018.

Three people were each fined £440 and ordered to pay costs and victim surcharge totalling £161.47 for fishing without a licence at Cudmore Fisheries, Whitmore, also on 22 July, 2018. They are: John Short, 55, of Lunn Avenue, Manchester, Raymond Young, 34, of Hurstbourne Avenue, Manchester, and Conor Thompson, 21, of Ripon Close, Liverpool.

Adrian Statham, 27, of Park Lane, Madeley, Telford, and 37-year-old Jamie Falconer of Hayward Avenue, Donnington, Telford, were both charged with fishing without a licence and leaving a rod and line with bait or hook in the water unattended at Middle Pool, Telford, on 18 August last year. Statham was fined a total of £660, plus costs and victim surcharge totalling £171.47 and Falconer was fined £440 and ordered to pay costs and victim surcharge totalling £157.47.

Kenny Wilkes, 32, of Bassett Road, Wednesbury, was fined £440 and ordered to pay costs and victim surcharge totalling £171.47, for fishing without a licence on the Tame Valley Canal in Wednesbury, on 20 July 2018.

In addition, magistrates also fined Adam Parry, 38, of Hampden Close, Brierley Hill, a total of £400, plus costs and victim surcharge totalling £157.47 after he submitted a plea of guilty to offences committed on 9 August 2018. He was charged with fishing without a licence on the River Severn at Holt Fleet and with failing to give his name and address when required to do so by a bailiff.

A spokesperson from the Environment Agency said:

An annual fishing licence costs just £30, yet a small number of anglers continue to flout the law and risk prosecution for fishing without a licence and breaching byelaws in place to protect fish stocks.

It’s important anglers have a licence before fishing; the money from licences is invested into England’s fisheries and rivers; improving the sport of angling. Anglers should also ensure that they are familiar with our byelaws, which are available on the Environment Agency web pages.

Money from fishing licence sales is invested in England’s fisheries and is used to fund a wide range of projects to improve facilities for anglers including; protecting stocks from illegal fishing, pollution and disease, restoring fish stocks through re-stocking, eradicating invasive species and fish habitat improvements. Fishing licence money is also used to fund the Angling Trust to provide information about fishing, to encourage participation in the sport and to manage a voluntary bailiff scheme.

This Hub shows what areas of the regulation of veterinary medicines will and will not change and provides draft guidance that will be current on EU Exit day (29 March 2019). Use this information to understand how leaving the EU may affect your business and what you can do to get ready.

Published 21 February 2019

The case was brought to Northampton Magistrates Court on 18 February 2019 where Michael Burton from Owen Street, Coalville, was proved guilty in absence and ordered to pay a total penalty of £611.47. An annual fishing licence would have cost just £30.

The penalty includes a fine of £440 plus costs of £127.47 and a victim surcharge of £44 after Burton was found in breach of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act (1975) on 7 August 2018 at Hermitage Lake, Coalville.

Following the verdict, James Anderson, fisheries enforcement officer for the Environment Agency, said:

The case shows how seriously the courts take these offences and acts as a reminder to anglers of the importance of having a rod licence. We hope it will provide a deterrent to any angler who is thinking of fishing without a licence.

All of the money raised from rod licence sales is used to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries, benefitting anglers and, for those caught cheating the system, we will always prosecute.

Every year across the country, thousands of anglers are prosecuted for not having a fishing licence. As well as cheating other anglers, fishing illegally can carry a hefty penalty. Getting caught without a licence could land a fine of up to £2,500.

All income from rod licence sales is used to fund Environment Agency work to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries, including improving habitats for fish and facilities for anglers, tackling illegal fishing and working with partners to encourage people to give fishing a go.

Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water needs a licence. A 1-day licence costs from just £6 and an annual licence costs from just £30 (concessions available). They are free for those aged 13 to 16. Licences are available online 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.

The case was brought to Northampton Magistrates Court by the Environment Agency on 18 February 2019 where Dariusz Rogueszewski of Nottingham Road, Ilkeston, was proved guilty in absence and ordered to pay a total penalty of £611.47. An annual fishing licence would have cost him just £30.

The penalty includes a fine of £440 plus costs of £127.47 and a victim surcharge of £44 after Rogueszewski was found in breach of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act (1975).

Following the verdict, James Anderson, East Midlands fisheries enforcement officer for the Environment Agency said:

This case acts as a reminder to anglers of the importance of having a rod licence and we hope it will provide a deterrent to any angler who is thinking of fishing without a licence or of failing to give details to an officer.

All of the money raised from rod licence sales is used to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries, benefitting anglers and, for those caught cheating the system, we will always prosecute.

Every year across the country, thousands of anglers are prosecuted for not having a fishing licence. As well as cheating other anglers, fishing illegally can carry a hefty penalty. Getting caught without a licence could land a fine of up to £2,500.

Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water needs a licence. A 1-day licence costs from just £6 and an annual licence costs from just £30 (concessions available). Licences are available online 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.

More than 30 leaders from local and national government; local MPs Robert Buckland MP, Justin Tomlinson MP and James Gray MP; trade unions, workers from Honda UK, representatives from business groups and local civic leaders yesterday (20 February 2019) came together for the first meeting of the Swindon Taskforce. They agreed on the central importance of making the case for Swindon’s world class production facility and its highly-skilled workers and for Honda’s continued investment in the plant.

The Taskforce, co-chaired by the Business Secretary Greg Clark, the Leader of Swindon Council David Renard and the Chair of Swindon Local Enterprise Partnership John Mortimer, jointly agreed the following:

Yesterday we convened the first meeting of the Swindon Taskforce to come together to discuss the future of Honda in the UK, and to support the workers at Honda’s Swindon plant along with those working in the supply chain and the wider community across Swindon, and the whole of Wiltshire.

Our first priority is to make the case to Honda that investment in vehicles of the future is best done in Swindon. We are united in that mission. We have some of the best talent in the world and the government is already investing in future car manufacturing, batteries and electrification infrastructure to ensure the UK retains its world-leading edge.

The Taskforce is also working to ensure that Swindon continues its record of attracting investment from advanced manufacturers, maintaining and creating highly-skilled jobs that offer fulfilling careers for many years to come.

Published 21 February 2019