DOZENS of anglers fishing on the River Trent were paid a surprise visit by environmental crime officers yesterday.
The Environment Agency officers cruised along in motor-driven dinghies, setting off from Farndon Marina and heading towards Collingham, to check people were fishing legally with rod licences.
A total of 300 anglers were checked and around half a dozen were found to be fishing without a licence. One man was arrested after trying to run away from officers.
Bill Burleigh, lead fisheries officer for the Environment Agency's Midlands enforcement team, said: "The best way to patrol rivers as large as the Trent is to put a boat out on the water. You can cruise along and you don't miss any anglers. You can't hide.
"If you go on the road you have got to get to car parks and walk along the banks It is not always easy to see people.
"But this way you can see them from a long way off."
Mr Burleigh said regular patrols on rivers such as the Trent and Severn and were vital for the Agency's work to replenish fish stocks and carry out habitat restoration.
"The obvious reason for doing this is that times are difficult. We need to maximise revenue from rod licence sales," he said.
"Evasion is up slightly. At the moment we are finding approximately 10 per cent evasion rates so we will be doing more of these patrols. We are hoping to carry them out pretty well weekly at different rivers.
"All the money from rod licence sales is spent back on fisheries. It also pays for keeping the banks so they are fishable, keeping them from obstruction, and improving habitats so the fish can spawn."
Mr Burleigh said most anglers were happy to see the patrols as it showed evaders would be caught. Usually, the spot-checks take a couple of minutes as officers ask for an angler's identification and licence number.
Those without their licences to hand gave their names and contact details and a quick call to head office confirmed they were paid-up anglers.
For those without a licence, officers report their details and the case goes before a magistrates' court, where they can be fined.
Angler James Mill, 41, of Farnsfield, who had his licence checked, welcomed the patrols. "There's not enough of them," he said.
"This is the first time I have had mine checked on a river in years. It usually gets checked on the big commercial ones. It is ridiculous not to do checks."
Lee Kerry, of Leeds, checked after reeling in a tench, said: "As far as I'm concerned I'm very happy with them. It's only two minutes of your time."
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