Anglers targeted in bank holiday blitz (From Gazette)
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Anglers targeted in bank holiday blitz
9:49am Friday 31st August 2012 in News
ILLEGAL anglers in Essex faced a clampdown over the bank holiday weekend.
In total Environment Agency officers checked 474 licences over the four days and issued tickets to 61 of them.
Officers recovered one illegally set trap from a fishery and audited three sites.
They also checked angling licences around the River Colne catchment including Ardleigh Reservoir, Bobby George's Lake, Halstead Reservoir and Pebmarsh Lake.
Lesley Robertson, environmental crime team leader for the agency, said: “We are disappointed to have found so many anglers illegally fishing but pleased to see most anglers had valid rod licenses. All the money the Environment Agency receives from sales is spent improving fisheries.
“People who don’t buy a licence are cheating their sport and other anglers. Those issued with offence tickets will almost certainly end up in court.”
Those issued with tickets face a fine of up to £2,500.
To report illegal fishing activity call 0800 80 70 60.
Licences can be bought from post offices, online from the Environment Agency website, or by calling 0844 800 5386.
