NEARLY 50 anglers were caught fishing illegally during a crackdown by the Environment Agency.

Enforcement officers visited 18 fisheries across the Yorkshire region on August 22 and 23, checking a total of 235 anglers.

The officers ended up reporting a total of 49 anglers - 21 per cent of those checked - for fisheries offences.

The patrols focused on a range of illegal fishing and fishing without a valid rod licence.

Regional fisheries officer Peter Mischenko said: “The number of anglers caught red-handed is testament to how seriously we take illegal fishing, but worryingly it shows a blatant disregard for the law and the health of fisheries.

“People who don’t buy a licence are not only cheating other anglers and the future of the sport but running the risk of criminal conviction and a fine.”

He added: “There is no excuse – it costs just £27 for a whole year and you can buy it from the Post Office website.”

Officers have so visited more than 100 waters across Yorkshire this year looking for fishing offences.

The maximum fine for fishing without a rod licence is £2,500 – and an annual licence costs just £27.

The Environment Agency’s work is intelligence-led, meaning that work is targeted on areas where there are reports of evasion or are known illegal hotspots.