- Fishing without a licence and leaving his fishing rod in the water has cost an angler from Newark a total penalty of £731
- Fisheries enforcement officers clamp down on illegal angling to protect fish stocks and make fishing sustainable
Ramunas Zukauskas, 32, of Byron Close was found guilty in absence at Northampton Magistrates Court on Monday 15 January 2024. He has received a total penalty of £731 for leaving his fishing rod in the water and for fishing without a licence at the River Trent, Newark Dyke on 1 July 2023.
The penalty includes fines of £220 and £200, costs of £135 and a victim surcharge of £176. An annual fishing licence costs from £33.
Following the verdict, a spokesperson for the Environment Agency said:
"We hope the penalty this illegal angler has received will act as a deterrent to anyone who is thinking of breaking the laws and byelaws we have in place across England.
"Fishing illegally can incur a fine of up to £2,500 and offenders can also have their fishing equipment seized. We inspect rod licences 24/7, seven days a week to check on cases of illegal fishing and for those caught cheating the system, we will always prosecute.
"Illegal fishing undermines the Environment Agency's efforts to protect fish stocks and make fishing sustainable. Money raised from fishing licence sales is used to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries for the benefit of legal anglers."
Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water needs a licence to fish. A 1-day licence costs from just £6.60, and an annual licence costs from £33 (concessions available). Junior licences are free for 13 - 16-year-olds.
Licences are available from www.gov.uk/get-a-fishing-licence or by calling the Environment Agency on 0344 800 5386 between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.
The Environment Agency carries out enforcement work all year round and is supported by partners including the police and the Angling Trust. Fisheries enforcement work is intelligence-led, targeting known hot-spots and where illegal fishing is reported.
Anyone with information about illegal fishing activities can contact the Environment Agency incident hotline 24/7 on 0800 807060 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Fisheries enforcement blog: Fisheries Enforcement 2023: A Year of Action and Collaboration - Creating a better place (blog.gov.uk)
The charges
Ramunas Zukauskas was charged with the following offences:
On the 1st day of July 2023 at River Trent - Newark Dyke, Newark left a rod and line with its bait or hook in the water unattended or so that the person shall be unable at any time to take or exercise sufficient control over said rod and line Contrary to Byelaw 10 of the Environment Agency National Byelaws which came in to force on 27 May 2001 made pursuant to Section 210 and Schedule 25 of the Water Resources Act 1991 and Contrary to Section 211 of the said Act.
On the 1st day of July 2023 at River Trent - Newark Dyke, Newark in a place where fishing is regulated fished for freshwater fish or eels by means of an unlicensed fishing instrument, namely rod and line. Contrary to Section 27(1)(a) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.
