Illegal anglers made to pay £111,000 over licences
Almost 400 anglers caught fishing illegally in the region have been forced to pay more than £111,000 of financial penalties.
The Environment Agency prosecuted 393 anglers in the West Midlands over the past year.
Figures released reveal that anglers were ordered to pay costs and fines totalling £111,246.91 in the year up to the end of March.
Nicky Tomlinson, of the Environment Agency, said: "Buying an annual licence costs £30 and takes only minutes online, yet a small number of anglers continue to flout the law and risk prosecution.
"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."
Prosecutions were brought against anglers caught fishing without a licence or with an incorrect licence.
Fisheries officers also carried out 4,885 licence checks during the same period.
Nationally, there were 1,633 successful prosecutions during the same period, resulting in fines and costs totalling £475,299.04. There were 65,853 licence checks carried out during 2018-19. Information on fishing licences is available on the gov.uk website.
