Angler Fined for Keeping Protected Eel
Penalty also covers not having a rod licence
A fisherman from south-west London who failed to return a critically-endangered eel to a river in Kent last summer has been fined £800.
Fisheries enforcement officers from the Environment Agency reported Piotr Wieclaw for illegal fishing in the River Medway after getting a tip-off from a member of the public.
One weekend last August, 52-year-old Wieclaw travelled from his home in Merton to a stretch of the 70-mile-long river between Tonbridge and Maidstone.
Small fire
The observant onlooker called the Environment Agency’s incident hotline, 0800 807060, after spotting a small fire burning near where Wieclaw and 3 other men were fishing. Anyone can ring the number if they think an environmental crime or pollution has been committed.
When the 2 Environment Agency officers arrived at Porters Lock, near Tonbridge, they found a dead eel under a towel next to the fire. Wieclaw was unable to produce a valid rod licence when challenged.
Anyone aged 13 or over needs a licence to fish for salmon, trout, eels or freshwater species. Information on when you need a licence and to buy one are at https://www.gov.uk/fishing-licences/buy-a-fishing-licence . They can also be purchased by
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/angler-fined-for-not-putting-back-protected-eel-he-caught