ANGLERS across the Keighley district should ensure they have a licence to fish – or risk landing a hefty fine.

That's the message from the Environment Agency, after more than 50 people from the region were taken to court for fishing illegally.

Fines totalling nearly £10,000 were handed out, with costs and victim surcharges totalling over £11,000.

Most of the offences related to fishing without a licence.

Paul Caygill, fisheries enforcement officer at the Environment Agency, says: "We take illegal fishing very seriously and hopefully these penalties make it clear that for those who flout the law, enforcement will be pursued.

"Simply buying a one-day rod licence or an annual licence, for £6.60 or £33 respectively, would have prevented the court process and subsequent fines.

"The money raised from licence sales is used to help improve and protect the UK’s fish stocks and fisheries, so we can all enjoy fishing for a long time. Illegal actions undermine our efforts to make fishing sustainable and achieve this goal."

Any angler aged 13 or over must have a fishing licence in order to fish in a river, canal or body of still water in England and Wales.

For more details, visit gov.uk/fishing-licences/buy-a-fishing-licence