Angling for action on illegal fishing (From York Press)

I suspect that those who are killing the fish and taking them away are eastern europeans. This is customary in their countries where coarse fish are caught to eat.

I was watching a fishing match yesterday on the Ouse at Bishopthorpe, on a stretch of the river which is controlled by the Bishopthorpe and acaster Angling Club. I noticed two anglers, who I believe were Polish, fishing with lures (jigs and spinners), and they were roving in pegs unused along the match length. The were clearly not club members and were therefore not entitled to fish there. They were ill-equiped and did not have a landing net, and also left rubbish on the river bank. I would urge any club members to confront these individuals and explain to them that they are not entitled to fish that stretch of the river. I doubt that they had rod licences, and should therefore be reported to the Environment Agency.

I was a bailiff for the old nra in York a lot of anglers do comply with the law sometimes I would come across some young lad just starting out if all was all in order I would help them set up and give advice one angler to another.I had caught some offenders they hardly get prosecuted to the full fines etc in law e.g. you could be fined £2500 for various things but may get a warning or a small fine .I've been fishing for 41 years and seen bailiff twice .I agree more bailiffs should be used the fines should pay for them.it's unfair we pay and others fish free.genuine fishermen will not mind getting asked for their licence.a lot of us would be pleased to see more bailiffs.

Scarlet Pimpernel wrote:
I suspect that those who are killing the fish and taking them away are eastern europeans. This is customary in their countries where coarse fish are caught to eat.

I was watching a fishing match yesterday on the Ouse at Bishopthorpe, on a stretch of the river which is controlled by the Bishopthorpe and acaster Angling Club. I noticed two anglers, who I believe were Polish, fishing with lures (jigs and spinners), and they were roving in pegs unused along the match length. The were clearly not club members and were therefore not entitled to fish there. They were ill-equiped and did not have a landing net, and also left rubbish on the river bank. I would urge any club members to confront these individuals and explain to them that they are not entitled to fish that stretch of the river. I doubt that they had rod licences, and should therefore be reported to the Environment Agency.

You were "watching" a fishing match!?

Sad git.

If you are sticking a hook in a fishes mouth, for fun, whats the problem with eating it?

And why has it got to be just Eastern European? That seems a little racist too.

Also Adequate equipment? What do you mean, hooks bait (or lure) and a stick how adequate do you need?

If people go round killing pike it upsets the eco system of the river less pike more stunted fish.it was a practice done years ago kill a pike and just leave it on the river bank.why kill a healthy fish.you can only take so many at one time from any water but you can't put fish from one river to another river.if these people are doing it often get someone down there to take action.will they continue out of season.

If people break the law and kill fish, the law needs enforcing.
If the RSPCA enforce the law that stops people killing foxes, hares, deer and mink with packs of dogs then the RSPCA are wrong!!!!!

Can someone explain the logic of that?

Hicarrumba wrote:
If you are sticking a hook in a fishes mouth, for fun, whats the problem with eating it? And why has it got to be just Eastern European? That seems a little racist too. Also Adequate equipment? What do you mean, hooks bait (or lure) and a stick how adequate do you need?

The Eastern European poaching problem is widely reported in angling papers/magazines. This is where mainly polish immigrants illegally take coarse species from private waters which they do not have licences to fish. Fishery owners and anglig clubs are suffering as a result of this, and more should be done to stop it. It's bad enough them taking our jobs and benefits legally, but, they are breaking the law in this practice, they should be prosecuted and then deported.

Mr Anderson wrote:

Scarlet Pimpernel wrote: I suspect that those who are killing the fish and taking them away are eastern europeans. This is customary in their countries where coarse fish are caught to eat. I was watching a fishing match yesterday on the Ouse at Bishopthorpe, on a stretch of the river which is controlled by the Bishopthorpe and acaster Angling Club. I noticed two anglers, who I believe were Polish, fishing with lures (jigs and spinners), and they were roving in pegs unused along the match length. The were clearly not club members and were therefore not entitled to fish there. They were ill-equiped and did not have a landing net, and also left rubbish on the river bank. I would urge any club members to confront these individuals and explain to them that they are not entitled to fish that stretch of the river. I doubt that they had rod licences, and should therefore be reported to the Environment Agency.

You were "watching" a fishing match!? Sad git.

That's a matter of opinion, but, I'd rather be labelled sad, than ignorant and rude !

Suggest that Mr Anderson finds something he is interested in to comment on, rather than commenting on something he knows nothing about !

Anyone seeing people fishing in the rivers after 27 February is fishing illegally and the environment agency or the police should be contacted straight away but these authorities must do every to get there.and fines should be severe.

Deport them!