Environment Agency Wales Enforcement Officers caught three men and a juvenile from the Pontypool area fishing the River Usk without having bought an Agency rod licence or first obtaining permission to fish, on Bank Holiday Monday.
Enforcement officers went into action after receiving local intelligence on a suspect vehicle and four individuals at Llanover, near Abergavenny.
All four individuals were apprehended and admitted not having valid Agency rod licences. Their rods and lines were confiscated. The three men will be reported for the relevant fisheries offences, while the juvenile received an official warning. Enforcement action is now pending, which could result in the three men being prosecuted
John Wheadon Agency Environmental Crime Team Leader said;
‘We are grateful for the information supplied by the public, which allowed our Enforcement Officers to catch these people fishing illegally. Our officers regularly check to ensure that fishery rules and regulation are being observed. We undertake patrols throughout the year, including at night, on weekends and during public holidays, so anyone who is tempted to fish without a licence could well be caught. The income we get from rod licences is vital to our work in improving the quality of angling in Wales and maintaining fish stocks and habitats.’
