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Environment Agency - Help stitch together a picture of fisheries crime

www.environment-agency.gov.uk

25 May 2010

Help stitch together a picture of fisheries crime

The Environment Agency has launched an operation to protect fish stocks across Lincolnshire, Northamptonshire and Cambridgeshire against criminals.
Operation launched to reel in criminals

Operation Tapestry aims to tackle large-scale illegal fishing activities such as netting and the use of long-lines - a fixed unattended line with one or more baited hooks attached - as well as illegal movements of fish from one body of water to another.

Tapestry is being led by the Environment Agency’s Environmental Crime Team. The operation will gather intelligence that will be used to build up a picture of where illegal activities are taking place and deploy resources to catch those who are responsible.

Environmental Crime Officer Mark Rumble said: “We need to reel in the perpetrators of these crimes. Some of these fish are worth quite a lot of money. A big specimen carp can be worth up to £5,000 and a lot of carp are illegally imported from Europe where they grow bigger. One diseased or parasite-carrying fish introduced into another fishery can have a massive impact on that fishery.”

As well as targeting people who illegally remove fish from lakes and rivers, Operation Tapestry will also help to protect eels. Eel numbers have crashed by 95 per cent since the 1980’s yet they are often caught here illegally for shipping abroad to be sold throughout Europe and the Far East.

A dedicated information hotline has been set up on 01522 785894 for people with information and intelligence about illegal fish movement or removal. If, however, a crime is in progress, witnesses should ring 0800 807060 to report it. Supporting information such as vehicle registration numbers and any other evidence is very useful.

Mark said: “The Environment Agency recognises there is a problem with this sort of activity and we have launched Operation Tapestry to gather the evidence we need to do something about it. We will still respond to incidents when they happen but will also now be recording information to build up a picture of where we have problems and identify those responsible.

“This type of crime threatens the livelihoods of law-abiding fisheries owners, the future of angling and the environment. Illegal catching and movement of fish can introduce disease and pose a danger to aquatic mammals and other creatures that may get caught as a result of the trapping methods used.”