Nuneaton & Bedworth police prioritizes illegal fishing

[dutchman]

A police force is set to launch an operation to targeting fish theft, illegal angling and anti-social behaviour in Nuneaton, Bedworth and North Warwickshire.



Illegal fishing gangs and unlicensed anglers are being targeted in a new operation led by Warwickshire Police alongside other police forces and in partnership with key stakeholders.

Operation Leviathan is set to launch on Thursday (June 11).

The initiative will see officers from Warwickshire Police and its force alliance West Mercia Police working alongside West Midlands Police, Cheshire Police, Gwent Police, Dyfed Powys Police and South Wales Police to stop illegal fishing and fish theft across the region.

Officers will also be working with the Angling Trust, Fish Legal, the Environment Agency, the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture (CEFAS) the National Wildlife Crime Unit, Natural Resources Wales and other partners as part of the crackdown.

Part of the operation will also educate anglers who may not understand British conservation-based angling law, that it is an offence to take fish from rivers, lakes and waterways without permission, supported by the Angling Trust's 'Building Bridges' education and integration programme.

Operation Leviathan aims to co-ordinate action to stop fish poaching and illegal fishing by:

Prevention - offering best advice and education to anglers, private water owners and partner organisations about actions put in place to prevent poaching.

Intelligence - asking anglers to be observant and report suspicious activity to allow police to target offenders.

Enforcement - with good intelligence the police can target poachers and anti-social behaviour and take action. Officers will patrol riverbanks to tackle crime in targeted operations with partner agencies.

Reassurance - by working together and publicising actions including activity, arrests, seizures and convictions.

Assistant Chief Constable Amanda Blakeman, from Warwickshire Police and West Mercia Police, said: "Targeting those who commit crime in our rural communities is a priority for the alliance and this includes wildlife crime, poaching and anti-social behaviour around our waterways.

“We are very pleased to be playing a key role in Operation Leviathan and by working in partnership we can tackle those involved in poaching and other forms of rural criminality more effectively."

Angling Trust's Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Mark Lloyd added: "Operation Leviathan is another major step forward for the protection of fish and fishing - now and for the future.

“The Angling Trust's Freshwater Team has made very impressive progress over the past three years, working in partnership with the Environment Agency, to tackle illegal fishing.

“The involvement of the police has transformed fisheries enforcement. We are very grateful that chief officers have recognised the importance of tackling this significant rural crime, which damages fish stocks and adds to the worries of thousands of small businesses involved in fishing.

“Initiatives like Operation Leviathan send out a clear message to criminals: the angling community is not prepared to stand by while fish are stolen from our waters. Anglers must be able to fish in peace, without fearing that they will encounter organised criminals on the bank."

[rebbonk]

Yes it needs doing, but I would hardly say it was a 'priority'.

Also, by announcing their intent, the true criminals will go to ground for a couple of weeks.