Environment
Agency officers have been using high tech
measures to target areas along the coast
and at rivers in Hampshire that are vulnerable
to salmon and sea trout poaching.
Techniques include night
vision filming and covert surveillance.
They have also stepped up the number of
day and night time patrols being carried
out to help them tackle illegal anglers.
In the past few weeks
three men have been caught using nets inside
netting exclusion zones and two men have
been apprehended with illegally caught sea
trout and had fishing tackle seized after
they were found using prohibited instruments.
Paul Newman, Fisheries
Technical Officer said ”We take poaching
very seriously and all efforts are being
made to protect these fragile populations
of fish. Illegal fishing can devastate populations,
both for the current season, and subsequent
seasons. Our fisheries officers regularly
patrol rivers, streams and lakes to ensure
that fishing is carried out in a safe and
legal way. Anyone found to be fishing illegally
could face prosecution, up to a £50,000
fine and have their equipment, boats and
vehicles seized and forfeited.”
Every year over one
million people in the UK buy a rod licence
from the Environment Agency, costing between
£3.75 for one day’s coarse fishing
to £72 for a full season’s Salmon
and Sea Trout fishing. The money raised
is used by the Environment Agency to improve
rivers and lakes and fund the upkeep of
the sport .
Buying a new rod licence
is easy - around 15,000 Post Offices and
other outlets sell them, they can be purchased
over the telephone on 0870 166 2662, by
direct debit or online at www.environment-agency.gov.uk/rodlicence.
(i) Two men were caught
at the mouth of the River Meon, Hill Head,
Fareham. 150m Gill Net Seized, both men
interviewed under caution with a view to
prosecution. Section 6 Salmon and Freshwater
Fisheries Act (SAFFA) offence.
(ii) Two men apprehended at Monks Brook
close to its confluence with the River Itchen
in Southampton. Both men fled the scene,
however three Sea Trout and Fishing tackle
was seized. Section 1 Salmon and Freshwater
Fisheries Act (SAFFA) offence.
(iii) One man was interviewed under caution
for netting inside a fixed net exclusion
zone at Lymington in the New Forest. Section
6 Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act (SAFFA)
offence.
+ More
Environment Agency investigating
fish kill in Cornwall river
Environment Agency technical
officers are currently investigating after
at least 300 trout were killed in a stretch
of the East Looe River, near Liskeard, Cornwall
Environment Agency technical
officers are currently investigating after
at least 300 trout were killed in a stretch
of the East Looe River, near Liskeard, Cornwall
yesterday (Sunday, 22 August).
The Environment Agency
was alerted after a call was received from
a member of the public saying a large number
of dead fish were found floating in the
river.
Environment Officers
arrived at the scene to find hundreds of
fish dead or dying and a stretch of the
main river from Liskeard down to the tidal
limit affected by the incident.
Dead fish were collected
from a 2.5km stretch of the East Looe River.
A total of 190 sea trout and 136 juvenile
trout together with a small number of salmon
were found.
Jon Snowden, from the
Environment Agency, said: ‘This is a serious
incident which is obviously devastating
for the fish population on this stretch
of the river where we estimate at least
300 trout have been killed. We are conducting
a full and thorough investigation into this
incident.
‘Our environment officers
were on site on Sunday collecting evidence
and sampling, and we have staff taking further
water and sediment samples from the river
today. We will also be carrying out an ecological
survey.’
The Environment Agency
continues to investigate the possible cause
of the pollution and is awaiting results
from the samples sent to the laboratories.
‘We welcome the public
reporting the incident, which gave us an
opportunity to respond to the incident swiftly.
If anyone has any information about the
fish kill or sees further fish in distress,
we urge them to contact us immediately on
our incident hotline 0800 80 70 60,’ added
Jon Snowden.
Members of the public
can report pollution incidents by calling
the Environment Agency’s 24 hour emergency
hotline on 0800 807060.
