Man fined for fishing without a rod licence near Ystrad Mynach

A man from Caerphilly has been ordered to pay a total of £465 after being caught fishing without a valid rod licence near Ystrad Mynach.

Mitchell Edwards, 28, from Penyrheol in Caerphilly was seen fishing by enforcement officers from Natural Resources Wales (NRW) at Riverside Fishery. When questioned by officers, Mr Edwards confirmed he did not hold a current rod licence and didn’t think he needed one to fish at the fishery. 

Mr Edwards was found guilty on 14 May 2025 via the Single Justice Procedure for using an unlicensed fishing instrument. He was fined £220, ordered to pay costs of £127, a victim surcharge of £88 and £30 compensation.

Ian Jones, Fisheries Officer for NRW said: 

“We take any unlicenced fishing activity extremely seriously. 

"We encourage anglers to enjoy Wales’s stunning countryside, but ask that they do so responsibly and ensure they have a valid rod licence to avoid the risk of prosecution.

“Remember, you must have a rod licence for England and Wales if you’re fishing for salmon, trout, freshwater fish, smelt or eel with a rod and line. And you must always carry your rod licence when you’re fishing or you could be prosecuted and fined up to £2,500, and your fishing equipment could be seized.”

Anyone who sees or suspects illegal fishing activity can report it to NRW by calling its 24 hour incident line on 03000 65 3000 or online at naturalresources.wales/reportit

To buy a rod licence, visit naturalresources.wales/rodlicence