Fishing licence breaches land anglers with almost £19k in fines

The Environment Agency says it prosecuted 57 anglers for not having a licence

More than 50 anglers have been hit with fines totalling almost £19,000 after being caught fishing without a licence.

The 57, from Yorkshire and the North East, were told to pay £18,766 during hearings at Hull Magistrates' Court.

The Environment Agency (EA) states anyone aged 13 or over fishing on a river, stream, drain, canal or still water requires a valid licence.

Some were also charged with fishing during the close season, which runs from 15 March to 15 June inclusive.

An annual fishing licence costs £30. Anyone found fishing illegally faces a fine of up to £2,500.

Paul Caygill, EA's fisheries enforcement officer, said: "We're continuing to see offenders receive significant fines for fishing illegally and, as these cases demonstrate, we will pursue offenders through the courts."

Offenders were from areas including Middlesbrough, Northumberland, Hull, Leeds, York and Doncaster.

The close season is in place to allow an uninterrupted spawning period and helps to protect vulnerable species, the agency said.