13 fined in crackdown on illegal angling

The Environment Agency has caught 13 men in a crackdown on illegal anglers.

The total cost of the fines was £1,085 and £975 in costs plus £15 each in victim surcharges at East Berkshire Magistrates' Court.

The incidents all took place between August 11, 2007 and November 2, 2007 at lakes and fisheries in Maidenhead, Windsor, Twyford, White Waltham, Dorney, Horton and Crowthorne.
 
Environment Agency regional fisheries specialist Matt Carter said: “Those who try to cheat the system and avoid buying a rod licence are cheating their fellow anglers. All the money raised from licence sales is put straight back into improving the environment for wildlife and anglers.
 
Fraser Boyce, 37, of Willow Mead, Bournemouth, 20-year-old Lee Kennedy of Orchard Estate, Twyford, and Roland Cottrell, 65, of London Road, Wokingham, were all caught without licences at New Farm Fishery, Hawthorn Hill, Maidenhead.

David Carr, 24, of Southampton, Hampshire, 21-year-old Brad Grifiths of Pond Approach, High Wycombe, Richard Harrison, 43, of Horatio Avenue, Warfield and Paul Ockenden, 23, of Hurworth Avenue, Slough were caught out at Royal Berkshire Fishery, near Windsor.

Martin Hopgood, 47, of Fairwater Drive, Woodley, was fishing without a rod licence at Redlands Pit, Twyford.
Ken Watson, 51, of Kingswood Creek, was caught out at Lake End, Jubilee River, Dorney.

Michael Deakin, 40, of Ivy Street, Runcorn, Cheshire was fishing without a licence at Horton Church lake, Horton and in the same village at Kingsmead Lake, 44-year-old Gary Emeny of Eldridge, Feltham was caught.
Andrew Finnigan, 49, of Ditton Road, Datchet, Berkshire fished without a rod licence at Pondwood Farm Lake, White Waltham.

To find out about purchasing a licence visit www.environment-agency.gov.uk/fish.