Illegal fisherman caught hiding salmon up sleeve

An angler has been ordered to pay more than £2,500 after "handling salmon under suspicious circumstances" and being caught with a 79cm (31in) fish sticking out of his sleeve.

Stephen Samuel, 64, was spotted by an angling club member catching and taking the salmon from their fishery on the River Teifi in west Wales after using illegal tackle.

Another angler confronted Samuel, who was trying to slip away while hiding his catch - only for the fish's head to be seen protruding from the arm of a coat slung over his shoulder.

Environment body Natural Resources Wales (NRW) said people like Samuel "jeopardise the future sustainability of our rivers".

NRW said one of its officers cornered Samuel, from Cwmavon, Port Talbot, at the Llandysul Angling Association fishery where the salmon was found stuffed up the sleeve.

It said Samuel admitted under caution both knowing it was illegal to keep salmon caught in Welsh rivers, and about a ban on using treble hooks on spinning baits and barbed hooks on migratory fish like salmon and sea trout.

Samuel said he thought the fish was actually a sea trout, but also admitted knowing the species if over 60cm (23in) in length must be returned to the river, and that he deliberately tried to hide the salmon inside his jacket.

NRW said Samuel deliberately used a large spinning bait with a barbed treble hook, and when the fish was examined by the officer the lure was still lodged deep in its throat and gill rackers.

While trying to dislodge the barbed hook, Samuel caused severe blood loss and gill damage, killing the fish.

Samuel appeared at Llanelli Magistrates' Court on 12 July where he admitted three offences of breaching compulsory catch and release of salmon laws, and handling salmon under suspicious circumstances.

He was ordered to pay £621, reduced to £414 for an early guilty plea, and was ordered to pay NRW costs of £2,000 and a victim surcharge of £166.

In addition, magistrates authorised a confiscation order for all of the fishing tackle he used for the illegal catch.

The handling salmon under suspicious circumstances law is enshrined in Section 32 of the Salmon Act 1986.

A five-hour House of Lords debate about the issue in February 1986 decided the wording would protect unwitting people from the then-in-place wider law of "possessing salmon which have been illegally taken, killed or landed".

NRW enforcement officer Mark Thomas said: "We hope that penalties like this will serve as a deterrent to those people who jeopardise the future sustainability of our rivers and the enjoyment of the vast majority of anglers who fish legally and responsibly.

"NRW officers will not hesitate to take enforcement action against the small minority of anglers who commit these types of offences.

“I would like to thank Dyfed-Powys Police for their continued assistance with these cases and also the members and committee from Llandysul Angling Association for their continued help in protecting the River Teifi."