Angling: Licensing
(asked on 29th August 2025) - View Source
Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, how many people have been fined by the Environment Agency for fishing with a rod licence since 4 July 2024.
Answered by
Emma Hardy
Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs)
All anglers caught fishing without a licence are subject to enforcement action as outlined in the Environment Agency’s Enforcement and Sanctions Policy here. Rod licence income is ring fenced to be used by the Environment Agency to maintain, improve and develop freshwater fisheries in England and Wales.
Please see below the number people and actions for Offences for fishing without a Rod licence (Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act Section (1) (a).
Actions taken between | Number of Prosecutions | Advice & Guidance Letters | Warning Letters | Caution |
04/07/2024 to 01/09/2025 | 527 | 63 | 1441 | 112 |
04/07/2023 to 01/09/2024 | 475 | 12 | 438 | 1146 |
NB: The table includes for actions taken between 04/07/2023 to 01/09/2024, for comparison purposes.
Please note, the EA has brought prosecutions against people, however the court imposes penalties after convictions, and the EA itself does not have the power to fine individuals for Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act offences. Fines are imposed by the courts and go to Treasury.