Big fines for fishing without a licence

A woman and four men caught fishing at a private lake in Wolverhampton without a licence have been fined a total of over £1,800 for the offences.

They were all spotted by officials on the same day angling at Poole Hall Carp Fishery in Lower Penn, Wolverhampton Magistrates Court was told.

Fishery manager Nicholas Orme said a £27 rod licence - covering the use of two rods - was required to fish at the pool.

The fishery is home to around 300 carp, cat fish and pike as well as smaller fish such as tench, perch and roach.

Melanie Jukes, aged 27, and Peter Leighton, 22, of Clarendon Street, Chapel Ash, were ordered to pay £492 each yesterday after being convicted in their absence of fishing and taking fish without a licence on May 3, 2010.

Chairman of the bench Davinder Sangha ordered them to pay £350 in fines each as well as £127 in costs and a £15 victim surcharge.

Three other men caught on the same bank holiday had their fines reduced after pleading guilty by letter.

Paul Leighton, 25, of Newhampton Road West, Whitmore Reans, and Carl Norton, 34, of Dilloways Lane, Portobello, were both fined £357 after Mr Sangha gave them credit for their guilty pleas.

Stephen Stanier, 47, of Blythe Gardens, Codsall, was also given a reduced fine of £407 after claiming, in a letter read out by the clerk: "I honestly wasn't aware I needed to a fishing licence to fish in private water."

Today, Al Watson, the Environment Agency's crime team leader for fisheries, said: "Every licence evasion means less money to spend on protecting and improving the nation's fisheries.

"Illegal anglers should realise that our officers are on the riverbank and if anyone is caught flouting the law they will be caught and punished."

TheEnvironment Agency says rod licences can be bought from the Post Office.