Notts Police are asking people to keep an eye out for illegal fishing on the county’s waterways as part of a crackdown on poaching.
Operation Traverse is operating across Nottinghamshire and other East Midlands counties to try to reduce fish theft from rivers and private lakes.
All anglers must carry a rod licence by law and stick to strict rules on how much they can fish and during which months of the year.
Police and the Environment Agency say illegal fishing is a growing problem across England, and in a 2014 spate Notts Police had 26 calls about the problem between April and October.
And in 2013 the Environment Agency prosecuted 2,800 people for fishing without a licence and issued fines totalling more than £600,000.
Now people across Nottinghamshire who spot illegal fishing are being asked to pick up the phone and dial the force on 101.
Notts Police and Crime Commissioner Paddy Tipping said: “Anglers and members of the local communities who know the rivers and fishing spots well are ideally placed to keep us in the picture.
“By reporting incidents to the police they become a vital cog in the wheel that tackles offenders and prevents crime.”
Anyone with information is asked to contact Notts Police on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.
Illegal fishing: What are the rules?
- All anglers must have a rod licence from the Environment Agency
- An angler may only remove on any given day: one pike of up to 65cm; two grayling of 30-38cm; up to a total of fifteen small fish of up to 20cm of the native barbell, chub, common and silver bream, common carp, crucian carp, dace, perch, pike, roach, rudd, tench, and smelt species.
- Anglers can only fish in-season the annual statutory close season for coarse fishing is 15 March to 15 June, inclusive
- It is a criminal offence to fish for, take, kill, or attempt to take or kill freshwater fish during the statutory close season, punishable by a fine of up to £50,000
