Went out for a few hours today at Clegg Hall Fishery near Rochdale and had my licence checked for the first time ever by an Enviro Agent.

Makes me think it’s worth the money now.

Made us laugh because he was only a few flash bangs and frag grenades away from full assault dress.

Nice chap though but admittedly not an angler........

I think the EA should get out a lot more and check far more licenses. I've been fishing 35 years and only once have I been asked to produce mine and that was at Pitsford about three years ago.
A bet the many eastern Europeans that course fish my local park have not got a license between them. A lot of revenue in fines to be gad there every day of the week.

Had a walk down by the Thames at Staines last night, saw 2 anglers fishing on opposite bank, where were the EA then?

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Nigel
probably at a commercial fishery somewhere.They are more or less assured of one or two dodgers then

andy ..why ???????? they do more than just check licences, would you rather them all be out checking licences in the middle of summer when they could be installing an aerator in your local stillwater because its depleted of oxygen and all the stock is suffocating?????????

as for fines ,they dont recieve the money the central court system does the EA dont get anything apart from maybe costs !!!


i dont understand why people say they should be out more , its a far bigger picture than what people see ,government funding for a start cuts down on there spending as in this case towards new officers being trained and installed.

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WHEN YOU LEAVE THE RIVER, TAKE NOTHING, AND LEAVE ONLY FOOTPRINT'S!!!

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bruce, whilst i see your point regarding licence checks, i read last season in the T&S that poachers in poole harbour were at work and when a concerned party informed the EA work party working not far away he was told that that wasn't their department and wanted an enforcement officer. then he was told that there was only 1 for the whole of poole harbour, the largest natural harbour in the world. how can that be right? cheers jon.

Exactly my point Wye Wizard. I hardly think the same people installing an aerator are the same people who inspect lisences.
There are so many dodgers out there if they caught more maybe they'd get the funding to employ more inspectors and afford more areators.

How much would it cost them to bring more cases, and how much are they likely to gain in fines?

Isn't poole harbour salt water? If so I think it would be very difficult to prosecute anyone for sea fishing and for not having a license fishing in the sea?

I think its best to forget about license dodgers. They should really concentrate on prosecuting the businesses that pollute our rivers etc as they are the biggest threat to fishing. Fines of £10,000 are pocket change to some of these companies and none of the money ever finds its way back to the local angling clubs it effects who would be best placed to use it on that stretch of water to rejuvinate the area, clean up the damage, introduce new stocks of fish and make improvements for anglers etc.

I don't think the EA is so bothered about license dodgers because sooner or later they will find themselves in hot water when they are challenged in court under rights of common "piscary" then the cat really will be out of the bag and people will realise that they have been conned over the whole rod license... fraudulent coersion for voluntary payments!

Why do you need a license to do something that must be fundementally lawful anyway? That includes the EA Rod License and the TV License btw.

I believe that the Angling Trust are far more likely to proactively help you with any issues than the EA. The EA are essentially a mafioso profit making corporation despite what many people may believe. You just have to look at all the agreements and deals done behind closed doors and the many companies let off with small fines or no fines at all for taking out fish stock from an entire river system to realise this.

When you contact the EA about any pollution incident you'll be lucky to get a response. The only time they do respond, and respond straight away is when you are questioning them about the need for a license and the cost of a license. They'll certainly respond then because they want your money, and they want to scare you that if you don't give them it that you'll be breaking the law. Strangely quiet though when challenged on this and asked what law.