Cambridgeshire anglers fined for fishing offences

Punishments issued during a day of sentencing at Luton Magistrates’ Court on May 23 saw four anglers fined £440 each.

Each angler was ordered to pay £127.47 in costs and a victim surcharge of £30.

The total amount of fines the four must pay came to £1,760, the total costs amounted to £509.88 and the victim surcharge total was £120.

Environment Agency Fisheries Team Leader Ian Hirst said: “Our Fisheries Enforcement Officers regularly patrol waters across the region.

“During March and April, our officers reported these anglers for fishing offences at two Cambridgeshire locations.

“Those offences were investigated and on May 23, 2019, Luton Magistrates’ Court found all four guilty of offences including possessing an unlicensed instrument with the intention to fish and refusing to give a name and address to officers.

“Our officers are deemed to be a constable for the purposes of enforcing the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975, or any order or byelaw under it.

“These cases show that anyone found fishing illegally or fails to provide their name and address to an officer carrying out their duties may face prosecution and a fine.

“The money raised through the sales of rod licences is re-invested and enables us to enhance and improve all fisheries for anglers, including rivers. Our officers routinely undertake licence checks and we urge anyone with information about illegal fishing activities to contact us.”

Illegal fishing should be reported to the Environment Agency’s Incident Hotline on 0800 80 70 60.

The four anglers fined were:

Andrew Macvinish, 29, of Babraham Road, Cambridge, caught during a routine patrol at Baitsbite Lock on the River Cam and fined for fishing without a licence and providing a false name and address.

Stephen Titchmarsh, 29, of Sunset Square, Cambridge, caught during a routine patrol at Baitsbite Lock on the River Cam and fined for fishing without a licence and providing a false name and address.

Frazer Wall, 49, of Frog End, Royston, caught during a routine patrol at Raveley Drain in Ramsey and fined for fishing without a licence and leaving an unattended rod and line with a hook/bait in the water.

Mark Wilkinson, 54, of Palmers Way, Royston, caught during a routine patrol at Raveley Drain in Ramsey and fined for leaving an unattended rod and line with a hook/bait in the water and having too great a distance between rod butt ends.

None of the defendants attended court on the day and the charges were proven in their absence and the fines imposed.