THIRTY-eight people in the region have been landed with fines and costs totalling over £12,000 for fishing illegally.

The Environment Agency, which brought the cases, says most related to fishing during the close season or without a licence.

Paul Caygill, fisheries enforcement officer with the agency, says: "We hope these penalties send out the message to others that illegal fishing is taken seriously and anyone flouting the law can expect to face enforcement action.

"The offenders could have bought a one-day rod licence to fish for just £6.60 or an annual licence for £33 and avoided both the fine and court process, so this has proven costly for those involved.

"The money raised from fishing licence sales is used to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries for the benefit of anglers. Illegal activities undermine our efforts to protect stocks and make fishing sustainable into the future."

Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water, must buy a fishing licence to fish in England and Wales.

For more details, go to gov.uk/fishing-licences

Anyone with information about illegal fishing activities can contact the Environment Agency on 0800 807060 or Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111.