A MAN from North Wales has been fined after he was caught fishing illegally in the Lake District.

At South Lakeland Magistrates’ Court last week, David Thomas Jones of Pwll Yr Hwyaid Mawr, Denbigh, Wales was fined £440 for fishing without a rod licence, with costs of £127.47 and a victim surcharge of £44 imposed after a prosecution by the Environment Agency.

Magistrates heard that on May 21, an Environment Agency enforcement officer found David Jones fishing at Windermere at the Strawberry Gardens Left Shore, Bowness.

A valid rod licence is required to fish all waters in England. Jones was not able to produce a valid rod licence and was reported for that offence.

Darren Bedworth, Environment Agency Enforcement said; “Across the country, we’re continuing to see similar fines handed out to anglers fishing illegally. Having to pay over £600 for a day of fishing just doesn’t make sense; especially when the cost of an annual licence is as little as £27.

"We are delighted that these heavy fines send such a clear message to rod cheats – fishing without a licence is no longer worth the risk.”

Last year the Environment Agency checked more than 62,000 rod licences and prosecuted more than 1,900 anglers for rod and line offences resulting in fines and costs in excess of £500,000.

Any angler aged 12 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water needs a licence.

A full rod licence costs from just £27 (concessions available). You can buy your rod licence online from the Post Office here, at your local Post Office or by phoning 0344 800 5386.

Money from rod licence sales is invested in England’s fisheries, and is used to fund a wide range of projects to improve facilities for anglers including; protecting stocks from illegal fishing, pollution and disease, restoring fish stocks through restocking, eradicate invasive species, and fish habitat improvements.

Rod licence money is also used to fund the Angling Trust to provide information about fishing and to encourage participation in the sport.