Environment Agency News Release

David Lord, aged 44 of Springfield, Gloucester, has been found guilty at Cirencester Magistrates Court of using an elver dip net within 10 metres of an obstruction.

The charge was brought by the Environment Agency under the National Eel Fishing Byelaws 2004, which state that elver fishing cannot take place within ten metres of any obstruction that hinders their passage. Mr Lord was fined £75 and ordered to pay costs of £200.

For the Environment Agency, Jill Robson told the court that on 21 March 2007, fisheries bailiffs were carrying out a routine patrol on the River Severn, where it meets the River Chelt. The purpose of this patrol was to check fishing licences and ensure that fishermen were obeying the rules.

Just before midnight, the fisheries bailiffs came across a net in the possession of Mr Lord. He had a licence for this net, but he was fishing too close to the tidal gates of the River Chelt. Mr Lord was then cautioned.

Speaking after the case, Al Watson, Environmental Crime Team Leader, said: ‘Fishing this close to an obstruction, would give an unfair advantage, enabling Mr Lord to catch more than his fair share and therefore reducing the amount of elvers that are able to escape into our lakes and rivers.

‘Illegal elver fishing can impact on eel stocks. The number of elvers in European rivers has been in sharp decline. We will continue undertake patrols until illegal elver fishing is completely stamped out.’

In his defence Mr Lord said that he was not aware that he was within 10 metres of an obstruction.

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