Poaching and fish theft are of increasing concern to anglers and in addressing this issue the Angling Trust has achieved support from the Association of Chief Police Officers and National Wildlife Crime Unit. Currently Project Trespass aims to provide a coordinated response to poaching and raise awareness of this issue amongst police forces.

Under the umbrella of Project Trespass, Lincolnshire and Cambridgeshire Police – in partnership with the Angling Trust, Environment Agency (EA) and Fish Health Inspectorate (FHI) – are launching Operation TRAVERSE to target illegal fishing and fish theft in Fenland.

One problem in this part of England – historically famous for predator fishing in winter – is the issue of migrant anglers from Eastern Europe sometimes not understanding British angling law and our conservation-based approach to angling. Here, National Byelaws limit the size and numbers of fish that can be retained, and removing fish from enclosed waters without the owner’s consent is theft.

To help deal with this problem the Angling Trust’s ‘Building Bridges Project’ aims to educate and integrate migrant anglers.

In June 2014 key Angling Trust enforcement staff visited Poland and forged a partnership with its PSR government fisheries department and voluntary fisheries enforcement organisations.

As a result of this visit, information is now passed to the British authorities about those prosecuted in Poland who are likely to travel to England and details of offenders here are provided to the PSR. This process and exchange of information has now been adopted by other Eastern European countries.

As part of their participation in Operation TRAVERSE and the sharing of best practice and intelligence, PSR officers are meeting with British enforcement partners this month.

Source: Angling Trust

To read the full article, click here