** STOP PRESS**  The Wireless cameras and lights are now all installed around the lake and the nightly patrols have deterred some persistent poachers !  If you see any activity or wish to join the patrol rota please contact Laurence.

We have established an active partnership with the Police (Rural Crimes Unit = RCU) and the EA Fisheries Management team.

By adding Latchford in to the RCU "list" we are now regularly patrolled by the Police and the EA, we have also teamed up with 2 local landowners and have given permission for their "keeper" to include Latchford waters in his night time anti poaching patrols.

Given 2 local poachers haver been prosecuted in the past 5 years and poaching laws now have REAL TEETH with fines of £800 not uncommon and equipment used INCLUDING cars being siezed, we are hopeful that these new measures will further protect the fishery. The Maximum fine is now £2,500 and another local fishery, via the EA, has recently prosecuted 5 people with a total of £2,800 in fines and a vehicle being seized.

See details of a similar case on the EA Web Site  POACHERS FINED

We just need to remind all members that they must have a valid EA licence on them at all times and be in pocession of a valid "disc" to fish the clubs waters.

If you see anything untoward Phone Laurence at any time of the day or night and he can call on the RCU to attend, they see poaching as a BLUE LIGHT CRIME and turn out as if it were a 999 call.

There are Trail Cams around the Fishery that work day and night and the Photographic Evidence they generate is admissable in court.

We are grateful to our "serving police officer" member for his help in organising all of this.  Whilst this 2016 case made the papers we have had 2 more prosecutions since, both resulted in SIGNIFICANT fines and one guy lost the van he was using !

23 September 2016

Fishing cheats land big fines in court!

Two London anglers had penalties of over £450 each imposed at St Albans Magistrate Court on 21 September 2016 for fishing without a rod licence and taking fish without permission,in contravention of national byelaws and schedule one of the Theft Act,at a trout fishery in Ware,Hertfordshire. (US !!)

Leonidas Kupcikovas and Slavkas Kupcikovas, were caught by the Police fishing at night & were each fined £330 (plus £127 costs & £33 victim surcharge) They were prosecutedd for fishing with out a licence and Theft (Taking the fish from the lake)  An EA licence does not give you the right to fish, that you get from the ownere of the fishing and we only give this to our Members.

Environment Agency Manager Debbie Jones said:

“We check licences across all fisheries in Hertfordshire, and work in partnership with fishery owners, and the Police to detect and deter fisheries crime. People who don’t buy a licence are cheating other anglers and the future of the sport and fishing without permission on private water is a criminal offence. The Environment Agency relies on the income from rod licences to continue the important work we do to protect fish stocks, improve fisheries and encourage more people to take up fishing.”

If you are caught fishing without a rod licence you risk a criminal conviction and a fine up to £2500.  There is no excuse – Annual rod licences for trout and coarse fishing remain at £5 for 12 to 16 year olds, £18 for senior and disabled concessions and £27 for non-concessions. Children under 12 can fish for free. Licences are easy to buy from the Post Office website or by phone on 03448005386 prior to fishing. Anglers should always ensure they have permission to fish at a fishery and check Environment Agency byelaws.

Last year, Environment Agency officers checked more than 62,000 licences and prosecuted more than 1900licence cheats. Between them, they were ordered to pay fines and costs in excess of £600,000. To help crack down on unlicensed fishing the Environment Agency urges anyone to report illegal activity by calling 0800 80 70 60 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Money raised from rod licence sales is reinvested in the environment, including a whole range of projects to improve facilities for anglers, protect stocks from illegal fishing, plus fish restocking, invasive species eradication, and working with partners to encourage people to take-up fishing for the first time.

• The money raised through rod licence sales is invested directly in fisheries work that benefits all anglers. The Environment Agency either spends that money directly or through their partners the Angling Trust to deliver projects to maintain and improve the health of fish and to establish an infrastructure to develop the sport of angling across England. Locally this means, protecting fish stocks through permitting and regulation.