A Bridgwater man was today fined for illegally fishing for elvers on the River Tone in Somerset in a bid to boosts his catch. Garry Roberts was fined £300 and ordered to pay £200 costs in a case brought by the Environment Agency.
On March 8, 2008 Agency officers were checking fishing licences on the River Tone near Burrowbridge when they discovered what they believed to be an oversized net near Hook Bridge.
When measured it was 1.58 metres long instead of 1.25 metres as required.
Garry Roberts, of Hog House Farm, Wembdon, Bridgwater, was cautioned and had his net seized.
Elver fishermen are only permitted to use dip nets up to a certain size. Each net must be hand held and not fixed in any way.
Any net that is oversized gives a fisherman an unfair advantage and enables him to catch more than his fair share of elvers that currently fetch around £250 per kilogram.
‘The Environment Agency will not tolerate illegal fishing. The defendant’s actions were financially motivated and detrimental to both the environment and law abiding fishermen,’ said Richard Dearnley for the Agency.
Appearing before Bridgwater magistrates, Garry Roberts was fined and had his net destroyed after pleading guilty to two offences under the Salmon & Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 and National Eel Fishing Byelaws 2004.
Environment Agency News Release
