From the District Council website today:
Rochford District Council is warning anglers that they must ensure they have a valid licence if they want to go fishing.
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The warning comes after a Rochford angler was fined ?277 for fishing in Sweyne Park without a fishing licence.
The angler was fined ?75 for fishing without a licence plus an additional ?75 for failing to state a name and address as well as costs of ?127.
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Rochford District Council?s Head of Environmental Services, Richard Evans, said: ?The rules for anglers are clear. Anyone aged 12 years or over who fishes for salmon, trout, freshwater fish or eels in England and Wales must have an Environment Agency Rod Fishing Licence.
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If you are caught fishing without one, you could be fined up to ?2,500. The Environment Agency will be carrying out checks in the District over the next few months so it is important that anglers ensure they have the correct licence which can be shown on request.?
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A rod licence is required by law and entitles the licensee to use a rod and line to fish. Rod licences are issued by the Environment Agency. You can purchase a rod licence from any Post Office, the Environment Agency website www.environment-agency.gov.uk or by telesales on using a debit or credit card.
Are there any fish in the Lake.?
I was thinking the same thing, I do see people fishing at the lake though
When I’ve taken the kids to feed the ducks over at Sweyne park I have seen fish coming up to take the bread. I thought the fish looked like large goldfish, but don’t know how they could have got there – unless someone decided to release an old pet fish “into the wild”.
I always see people fishing next to the pond, it’s a common ocurrence. I thought the sign post next to the pond stated that it was illegal to fish there.