A MAN was ordered to pay £389 for fishing without a licence at Hightown Lake.

George Cooper, of Ringwood, was found guilty in absence at Swindon Magistrates Court on Tuesday, January 3.

The offence took place last summer, May 31, and Mr Cooper had to pay a fine of £220, costs of £135 and a victim surcharge of £34.

The Environment Agency brought the case to court, alongside two other offenders who were also fined.

Namely Teejay France, of Treharris, and Nadeem Albaydany, of Bournemouth, who were both found guilty of fishing at Coking Farm, Henstridge, without a licence on July 2 2022.

Both men were ordered to pay £443 each.

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Following the case, the local fisheries enforcement officer at the Environment Agency, said: “These anglers have been rightly punished for the illegal fishing they undertook last summer.  They could have bought a 1-day rod licence to fish for just £6.

“We hope the penalties received by the illegal anglers 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 the officer said it "undermines efforts to protect fish stocks and make fishing sustainable".

Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water needs a licence to fish.

A one-day licence costs from £6, and an annual licence currently costs from £30 (concessions available). Junior licences are free for 13 to 16-year-olds.