Cwmbran man fined for fishing without a rod licence or permission to fish

A Cwmbran man has been ordered to pay a total of £279 after being caught fishing on a private stretch of the River Wye without permission or a valid rod licence.

In a joint operation between Natural Resources Wales and Gwent Police, Kyle Moses, of Summerhill, Cwmbran, was seen by officers fishing on a private stretch of the river known as ‘The Dukes Water’ near the Duke of Beaufort Bridge at Wyesham, Monmouth, on 19 May.

When questioned, Mr Moses initially told the officers that he had a rod licence but after being informed that checks would be carried out, he admitted this was not the case.

The officers also found that Mr Moses was using an illegal treble barbed hook, commonly used when fishing for salmon, which is banned on all Welsh rivers.

Mr Moses told the officers he was fishing for trout, but they noted that the method he was using was more suited to salmon fishing.

The privately-owned Dukes Water fishery is a well-known salmon pool and Mr Moses admitted that he did not have permission to fish there.

At  Cwmbran Magistrates Court, Mr Moses pleaded guilty to using an unlicensed fishing instrument, fishing for salmon or sea trout with a Flying C Salmon Lure with barbed treble hook and fishing on private property or where there is any private right of fishery.

He was fined £120, ordered to pay £125 costs and £34 victim surcharge and the fishing tackle seized by officers was forfeited.

Mark Scaife, NRW enforcement officer, said:

“We take any activity that threatens Welsh fish stocks extremely seriously and this is especially true of illegal fishing.

“You must have a rod fishing licence for England and Wales if you’re fishing for salmon, trout, freshwater fish, smelt or eel with a rod and line. You could be fined up to up to £2,500 and your fishing equipment could be seized if you’re fishing and cannot show a valid rod fishing licence.

“The efficient way in which this offence was dealt with was only possible thanks to the close cooperation between NRW and Gwent Police.”

PC Mark Powell, of Gwent Police, said:

“Partnership agency collaboration has never been better; the four police forces in Wales, Natural Resources Wales and the National Wildlife Crime Unit will investigate and prosecute those responsible for committing these and other wildlife and rural crime offences.

“I urge anglers to make use of our beautiful countryside in Wales but to do so responsibly and to ensure that they have licences to fish and permission from the fishery owners or else they too risk prosecution.”

Anyone who sees or suspects illegal fishing activity can report it to the NRW 24 hour incident hotline on 0300 065 3000 or on the NRW website: Natural Resources Wales / Report an incident