Alexandra
Wales - 3-Oct-2006 - A Selby man was fined £1,000
at Sunderland Magistrates’ Court today, after
pleading guilty to introducing fish to a lake
in Fatfield, Washington, without consent from
the Environment Agency.
Colin Forsyth, aged 60, of Cliffe,
Selby, North Yorkshire, was also ordered to pay
full costs of £70 to the Environment Agency,
which brought the case.
Helen Ferguson, prosecuting
for the Environment Agency, told the court that
at the end of 2005, the Washington & Harraton
Angling Club decided to add fish to Mount Pleasant
Lake, in Fatfield, Washington, Tyne & Wear.
The club contacted Mr Colin
Forsyth, who runs Newhay Carp Farm near Selby,
and placed an order for new fish. It was agreed
that Mr Forsyth would obtain the Environment Agency’s
prior consent before adding any fish to the lake.
Under section 30 of the Salmon
and Freshwater Fish Act 1975, the Environment
Agency regulates the movement of fish within all
inland waters in England and Wales, to prevent
the spread of fish diseases and to minimise damage
to the ecosystem that may be caused by inappropriate
fish being introduced.
On 13 December 2005, the Environment
Agency received an application to introduce fish
into Mount Pleasant Lake from Mr Forsyth. However,
the application did not state a date for the introduction
and was therefore not approved.
On 17 February 2006, the Environment
Agency received three further applications from
Mr Forsyth relating to proposed introductions
at Mount Pleasant Lake on 4 March 2006. These
applications were approved. However, when an officer
attended to supervise the introduction of the
fish to the lake in March, nothing happened.
The Environment Agency suspected
foul play and interviewed the angling club secretary,
John Hancock, and Mr Forsyth.
Mr Forsyth admitted that he
had never intended to introduce fish on 4 March
2006. He had in fact introduced them on 10 February
2006, in the full knowledge that he did not have
the Environment Agency’s consent to do so. However,
the club had withheld payment until he produced
a copy of the Environment Agency’s consent. He
created the three false applications in order
to deceive the Environment Agency.
Mr Hancock received a formal
caution.
In mitigation, Colin Forsyth
entered an early guilty plea, and has no previous
convictions.
Speaking after the case, Kevin
Summerson, special enforcement team leader for
the Environment Agency said: “It is vital that
all introduced fish are given a health check.
Fish diseases can wipe out entire populations
and the consequences are even more disastrous
if the disease is transmitted to wild fish stocks.
“It is not acceptable for people
to take risks with wildlife, and a court has confirmed
this in its sentence today.”
Ends
Notes to editors:
Offences:
In the district of Washington,
on 10th February 2006, did introduce fish into
an inland water, namely Mount Pleasant Lake, Fatfield,
without first obtaining the written consent of
the Environment Agency.
Contrary to section 30 and schedule
4 of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.
