AN angler from Frome has been ordered to pay £349 in fines and costs after he was caught fishing in a beauty spot without a rod licence.

The Environment Agency prosecuted Jakub Jaslikowski, 23, from Blackberry Road, in Frome, for the offence at Farleigh Wood Pool in Bath.

Jaslikowski pleaded guilty and appeared before Swindon Magistrates’ Court on May 7, 2024. He was fined £153 and ordered to pay £135 in costs and a £61 victim surcharge.

Callum Underhill, Environment Agency fisheries enforcement officer, said: “Fishing without a rod licence is a crime. It is not a victimless crime as the money from rod licences goes back into the sport, paying for the protection of fish stock and improving habitat.”

The Environment Agency works all year with support from partners like the police and the Angling Trust to enforce fishing rules. Fisheries enforcement work is intelligence-led, targeting known hot-spots and where illegal fishing is reported. 

Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water, requires a licence. Licencesare available from www.gov.uk/get-a-fishing-licence or by calling the Environment Agency on 0344 800 5386 between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.