TWO men fishing illegally are facing fines after they were caught by Environment Agency teams patrolling the River Tees.

The men were fishing for pike near Preston Park, in Eaglescliffe, and were spotted by enforcement officers who were using a boat.

The Agency said they were flouting the law by fishing for pike during the coarse fishing close season, a period running between March and June.

Kevin Summerson, a fisheries enforcement specialist with the Environment Agency, said: “The close season means fish are left alone during the spring to allow them the opportunity to breed. During this time our specialist enforcement teams police illegal fishing to ensure compliance with the law.”