Named and shamed: Illegal Doncaster anglers among those stung with £12,000 of fines

38 people were caught fishing illegally and will pay more than £12,000 in fines and costs - hundreds of times the cost of an annual fishing licence, which start at just £33 a year.

Environment Agency Fisheries Enforcement Officers clamp down on illegal angling to protect fish stocks and make fishing sustainable.

Offences took place across the area including Doncaster, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear, Hull and Leeds and mainly relate to fishing during the close season and fishing without a licence.

The Environment Agency carries out enforcement work all year round and is supported by partners including the police and the Angling Trust.

Paul Caygill, Fisheries Enforcement Officer at the Environment Agency, said: “We hope these penalties send out the message to others that illegal fishing is taken seriously and people flouting the law can expect to face enforcement action.

“They could have bought a 1-day rod licence to fish for just £6.60 or an annual licence for £33 and avoided both the fine and court process, so this has proven costly for those involved.

“The money raised from fishing licence sales is used to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries for the benefit of anglers. Illegal fisheries undermines our efforts to protect fish stocks and make fishing sustainable into the future.”

Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water must purchase a fishing licence to fish in England and Wales.

Annual licences start from £33 and can be purchased online or by phone, more information can be found here. You can buy a 1-day, 8-day or 12-month licence online, with the added benefit of the option to have a digital licence, saving postage costs and allowing more money to be spent on fisheries.

Anyone with information about illegal fishing activities can contact the Environment Agency incident hotline 24/7 on 0800 807060 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. 

Here’s the full list of those before the courts

Dean Hatfield, 34, from Barnsley Road in Goldthorpe, Rotherham, was found guilty in his absence of fishing without a licence on 12 March 2023 at the River Don at Hexthorpe. He was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £223.

Nerijus Laskevicius, 36, of Beckett Road in Doncaster, was found guilty in his absence of fishing without a licence and using an undersized keepnet on 21 May, 2023, at the River Don in Doncaster. He was fined a total of £440 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £311. The court also ordered that the illegal net which was 150cm when it should be at least 200cm, be forfeited.

Marcus Jordan, 20, of Woodstock Road in Doncaster, was found guilty in his absence of fishing without a licence on 12 March 2023 at the River Don in Sprotbrough. He was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £223.

Ian Garrity, 44, of Scawthorpe Avenue, Doncaster, pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence on 11 June 2023 at Sykehouse Fisheries in Thorne. He was fined £146 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £108.

Carl Finch, 31, of Alexandra Road in Doncaster, pleaded guilty to fishing during the close season on 18 May 2023 at the River Don at Sprotbrough, Doncaster. He was fined £40 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £66.

Brandon Manning, 22, of Harrogate Drive, Denaby Main in Doncaster, pleaded guilty to fishing during the close season, fishing with an illegal bait and fishing without a licence on 18 May 2023 at the River Don at Sprotbrough, Doncaster. He was fined £40 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £66.

Kyle Thorburn, 28, of Bodmin Court, Mansfield, pleaded guilty to fishing during the close season and fishing with an illegal bait on 18 May 2023, at the River Don in Sprotbrough in Doncaster. He was fined £40 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £66.

Steven Vickery, 61, of Pochard Drive in Scunthorpe, pleaded guilty to fishing during the close season at the River Ancholme at Broughton Bridge on 18 April, 2023. He was fined £40 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £76.

Flavius-Florin State, 29, of Lawson Street in Wallsend, was found guilty in his absence of fishing without a licence at Fontburn Reservoir in Rothbury on 30 April 2023. He was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £223.

Dennis Ruddick, 50, of Belsay, Northumberland, pleaded guilty to fishing during the close season and using illegal bait on 29 April 2023, at Alders on the River Tyne at Prudhoe. He was fined £127 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £185.

Jacek Komorowski, 38, from Suffolk Street in Hull was found guilty in his absence of illegal fishing on 2 April, 2023 at Risby Park Lake in Beverley. He was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £223.

Arturs Karklins, 25, from St George’s Road in Hull, was found guilty in his absence of fishing without a licence, fishing during close season, and using illegal bait on 8 May 2023 at the River Hull at Tickton. He was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £223.

Keith Fullen, 47, of Tedham Road in Newcastle, pleaded guilty to fishing during the close season and using illegal bait on 29 April 2023 at Alders on the River Tyne at Prudhoe. He was fined £115 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £181.

Steven Asquith, 43, of Broadway in York, pleaded guilty to fishing for freshwater fish during the close season and using an illegal bait on 4 May 2023 on the River Derwent at Stamford Bridge. He was fined £127 and ordered to pays costs and a victim surcharge totalling £100.

Emil Marinov, 47, of Nornabell Street in Hull, pleaded guilty to fishing during the close season and using an illegal bait on 22 May 2023 at the River Hull in Beverley. He was fined £156 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £112.

Phil Lovick, 38, of Essex Street in Hull, pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence on 21 May 2023 at Risby Park Lake in Beverley. He was fined £40 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £66.

Joshua Taylor, 26, of Carlton Avenue, Delhi Street in Hull, was found guilty in his absence of fishing without a licence on 21 May 2023 at Risby Park Lake in Beverley. He was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £223.

Alex Banu, 25, of Ryde Street in Hull, pleaded guilty to fishing during the close season and fishing without a licence on 10 June 2023, at the River Hull at Weel, Beverley. He was fined £200 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £130.

Constantin Puiu, 22, of Beverley Road, Kingston Upon Hull, pleaded guilty to fishing during the close season and fishing without a licence on 10 June 2023, at the River Hull at Weel, Beverley. He was fined £200 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £130.

Jack Courtman, 21, of Morritt Drive in Leeds, pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence on 17 June 2023 at Birkwood Fisheries in Normanton, Wakefield. He was fined £40 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £66.

David Culshaw, 26, of Waithlands Road, Rochdale, was found guilty in his absence of fishing without a licence on 17 June 023 at Birkwood Fisheries in Normanton, Wakefield. He was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £223.

Ashley Grailey, 26, of Marton Road in Bridlington, pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence on 28 May 2023 at Fossehill Shooting Ground in Beverley. He was fined £92 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £86.

Benjamin Holmes, 21, of Rayner Street in Horbury, Wakefield, was found guilty in his absence to fishing without a licence on 28 May 2023 at Birkwood Fisheries in Normanton, Wakefield. He was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £223.

Caleb Huntley, 26, of Benedict Road in Hull, was found guilty in his absence of fishing without a licence on 16 Mat 2023 at Pickering Park Lake in Hull. He was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £223.

Carl Siddle, 37, of Jipdane in Hull, pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence on 21 May 2023 at Fossehill Shooting Ground in Beverley. He was fined £100 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £90.

Dean Broadbent, 47, of Portobello Street in Hull, was found guilty in his absence of fishing without a licence at Pastures Pond at Withernsea. He was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £223.

Arif Burak, 22, of Embleton Road, Methley, Leeds, pleaded guilty to illegal fishing on 26 May 2023 at Birkwood Lakes in Normanton. He was fined £200 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £180.

Irinel Columbenu, 23, of Hinderwell Street in Hull, was found guilty in his absence of fishing without a licence on 7 May 2023, at Risby Park Lake in Beverley. He was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £223.

Stephen Moran, 34, of Field End in Leeds, was found guilty in his absence of fishing without a licence on 26 May 2023 at Birkwood Lakes in Normanton. He was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £223.

Jacob Oakley, 27, of Wayfarings Close in Norton, Malton, pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence on 17 March 2023 at Raker Lakes in Wheldrake. He was fined £40 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £66.

Ben Adam South, 37, of Clairbrook Close in Hull, pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence on 14 March 2023 at Risby Park Lake in Beverley. He was fined £40 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £66.

Niculita Radu, 33, of Prescott Street in Darlington, was found guilty in his absence of fishing without a licence on 5 May 2023 at Derwent Reservoir in Consett. He was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £223.

Christopher Round, 43, of Esk Street in Gateshead, pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence on 29 May 2023 at Aldin Grange, Bear Park in Durham. He was fined £146 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £108.

Joe Speck, 31, of Arnside Crescent in Castleford, was found guilty in his absence of fishing without a licence on 23 June 2023 at Westlands Pond, Brandesburton. He was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £223.

Ionel Fleischer, 45, of Mayfield Street in Hull, was found guilty in his absence of fishing without a licence on 20 May 2023, and on 10 June 2023, both at Beverley Canal in Beverley. He was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £223.

Karl James Hennigan, 30, of Foundry Mill terrace in Leeds, was found guilty in his absence of fishing without a licence on 1 May 2023 Newhay Lakes in Selby. He was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £223.

Lee Trainer, 29, of Rockferry Close in Stockton-on-Tees, pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence, fishing during the close season and using illegal bait on 27 May 2023 at Bowesfield on the River Tees. He was fined £133 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £103.

Christopher Woodcock, 38, of Hough End Close in Leeds, pleaded guilty to fishing without a licence on 1 May 2023 at Newhay Lakes in Selby. He was fined £40 and ordered to pay costs and a victim surcharge totalling £66.