Post by Hoppy on Mar 21, 2008 22:11:13 GMT -1
Caught and fined for fisheries offences in Gwynedd
Two men have been fined for fishery offences, in prosecutions heard this week (10.03.08) at
Dolgellau Magistrates’ Court. The cases, involving the illegal removal of fish and illegal netting were brought by Environment Agency Wales.
MIchael John Dowling of Glan y Werdd, Dyffryn Ardudwy near Harlech pleaded guilty in connection with an offence at LLyn Cynwch, near Dolgellau. On 17 September 2007 an Environment Agency Wales enforcement officer received a report that an angler had been seen taking fish from the lake and placing them in a keep net.
Dowling was ordered to pay a total of £440 in fines and costs. (See Notes).
When the Agency officer arrived at the lake Dowling was fishing, and there was a keep net in the water. During observations, the officer saw him pick up the net, containing several fish and move nearer to the car park. He then half filled a carrier bag with water, transferred the fish from the net to the bag, collected his fishing tackle and carried the net and bag back to the car park. He walked to a van and was seen to transfer the contents of the carrier bag to a 50 litre bucket in the back.
The officer approached Dowling, informed him of the offence and cautioned him. He agreed to be interviewed, and admitted having taken six fish, five perch and one brown trout, which he had intended to stock into a pond at his home. He indicated that he had been unaware that this was an offence. The officer then took possession of the bucket containing the fish.
Subsequently it came to light that on 9 October 2006, another Agency Officer had spoken to Dowling at the same location. He had told the officer that he had previously taken two perch and put them in his pond. He had been informed that he had been committing an offence and had apologised.
Jason Westerberg-Liptrot, Environment Agency Wales Team Leader Environment Crime said:
“It is an offence to introduce any fish or spawn of fish into any inland water or have them in your possession without the prior consent of the Agency.”
Adrian Lee Owen of Maes Heulog, Caernarfon had pleaded guilty by letter, to an illegal netting offence at Llandanwg Beach, near Harlech. He was ordered to pay a total of £1,090 in fines and costs. (See Notes).
On Sunday morning 2 September 2007 two Environment Agency Wales enforcement officers responded to a report that illegal nets had been set at Llandanwg Beach near Harlech. On arrival at the beach the officers found two nets had been set, either side of the slipway. They had been recently cleaned and reset in order to fish the next tide.
Later that afternoon the officers, accompanied by a colleague returned to the beach. They saw Owen approach one of the nets. When he approached the second net he was seen to remove six fish. He threw some fish back into the sea, placing the others into a bag. He then cleaned the net of seaweed and re-set it, returned to collect the other net and made his way to a vehicle.
Two of the officers made their way to the vehicle in advance and made him aware of their observations. He was then interviewed.
Owen had also recently been convicted of a similar offence committed on 11 November 2007 at Lleiniog Beach near Penmon, Beaumaris.
Jason Westerberg-Liptrot, Environment Agency Wales Team Leader Environment Crime said:
“The byelaws are in place to protect the interests of bona-fide sea fishermen and migratory salmon and sewin stocks in sensitive areas at certain times of the year. The indiscriminate nature of this method of fishing meant that the potential existed for migratory fish to be taken.”
He added: “We hope that these successful prosecutions will serve as a warning to others.”
Michael John Dowling
The offence: Section 30 of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 provides that it is an offence to introduce any fish or spawn of fish into any inland water or have in your possession any fish or spawn of fish intending to introduce it into an inland water without the prior consent of the Agency unless the inland water in question is a fish farm.
Dowling was fined £150 with a £15 victims surcharge and was ordered to pay £275 in costs.
Adrian Lee Owen
The offence: Placing an unauthorised fixed engine (net) in any inland or tidal waters contrary to Section 6(1) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 (as substituted by Section 33(1) of the Salmon Act 1986).
Byelaw 24 (Area 15) of the North Western and North Wales Sea Fisheries Committee prohibits the use of fixed nets at this location during the period April 1 to 30 November inclusive.
Owen was fined £200 with a £15 victims surcharge and was ordered to pay £875 in costs.
Two men have been fined for fishery offences, in prosecutions heard this week (10.03.08) at
Dolgellau Magistrates’ Court. The cases, involving the illegal removal of fish and illegal netting were brought by Environment Agency Wales.
MIchael John Dowling of Glan y Werdd, Dyffryn Ardudwy near Harlech pleaded guilty in connection with an offence at LLyn Cynwch, near Dolgellau. On 17 September 2007 an Environment Agency Wales enforcement officer received a report that an angler had been seen taking fish from the lake and placing them in a keep net.
Dowling was ordered to pay a total of £440 in fines and costs. (See Notes).
When the Agency officer arrived at the lake Dowling was fishing, and there was a keep net in the water. During observations, the officer saw him pick up the net, containing several fish and move nearer to the car park. He then half filled a carrier bag with water, transferred the fish from the net to the bag, collected his fishing tackle and carried the net and bag back to the car park. He walked to a van and was seen to transfer the contents of the carrier bag to a 50 litre bucket in the back.
The officer approached Dowling, informed him of the offence and cautioned him. He agreed to be interviewed, and admitted having taken six fish, five perch and one brown trout, which he had intended to stock into a pond at his home. He indicated that he had been unaware that this was an offence. The officer then took possession of the bucket containing the fish.
Subsequently it came to light that on 9 October 2006, another Agency Officer had spoken to Dowling at the same location. He had told the officer that he had previously taken two perch and put them in his pond. He had been informed that he had been committing an offence and had apologised.
Jason Westerberg-Liptrot, Environment Agency Wales Team Leader Environment Crime said:
“It is an offence to introduce any fish or spawn of fish into any inland water or have them in your possession without the prior consent of the Agency.”
Adrian Lee Owen of Maes Heulog, Caernarfon had pleaded guilty by letter, to an illegal netting offence at Llandanwg Beach, near Harlech. He was ordered to pay a total of £1,090 in fines and costs. (See Notes).
On Sunday morning 2 September 2007 two Environment Agency Wales enforcement officers responded to a report that illegal nets had been set at Llandanwg Beach near Harlech. On arrival at the beach the officers found two nets had been set, either side of the slipway. They had been recently cleaned and reset in order to fish the next tide.
Later that afternoon the officers, accompanied by a colleague returned to the beach. They saw Owen approach one of the nets. When he approached the second net he was seen to remove six fish. He threw some fish back into the sea, placing the others into a bag. He then cleaned the net of seaweed and re-set it, returned to collect the other net and made his way to a vehicle.
Two of the officers made their way to the vehicle in advance and made him aware of their observations. He was then interviewed.
Owen had also recently been convicted of a similar offence committed on 11 November 2007 at Lleiniog Beach near Penmon, Beaumaris.
Jason Westerberg-Liptrot, Environment Agency Wales Team Leader Environment Crime said:
“The byelaws are in place to protect the interests of bona-fide sea fishermen and migratory salmon and sewin stocks in sensitive areas at certain times of the year. The indiscriminate nature of this method of fishing meant that the potential existed for migratory fish to be taken.”
He added: “We hope that these successful prosecutions will serve as a warning to others.”
Michael John Dowling
The offence: Section 30 of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 provides that it is an offence to introduce any fish or spawn of fish into any inland water or have in your possession any fish or spawn of fish intending to introduce it into an inland water without the prior consent of the Agency unless the inland water in question is a fish farm.
Dowling was fined £150 with a £15 victims surcharge and was ordered to pay £275 in costs.
Adrian Lee Owen
The offence: Placing an unauthorised fixed engine (net) in any inland or tidal waters contrary to Section 6(1) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 (as substituted by Section 33(1) of the Salmon Act 1986).
Byelaw 24 (Area 15) of the North Western and North Wales Sea Fisheries Committee prohibits the use of fixed nets at this location during the period April 1 to 30 November inclusive.
Owen was fined £200 with a £15 victims surcharge and was ordered to pay £875 in costs.