• You need to be a registered member of Barbel Fishing World to post on these forums. Some of the forums are hidden from non-members. Please refer to the instructions on the ‘Register’ page for details of how to join the new incarnation of BFW...

River Thames Poaching

S

Stuart Hendry

Member
This happened yesterday on the Thames at Teddington Lock. The guy in the video runs a guide service for predators from his boat and accidentally snagged the nets. There were 7 Perch over 4Lb caught, Roach over 3Lb, numerous Bream, Barbel and bizarrely enough, a Flounder. He did his best to release anything that was still alive.

He phoned the Police and EA and apparently they weren't interested.

It's just shocking that this sort of thing is going on and I wanted to share so that other people can keep an eye out for stuff like this - apparently the nets had a coke bottle float as a marker.

https://www.facebook.com/flingyourhook.fishing/videos/1690782724484171/?pnref=story

Stuart
 
Not surprised that the EA nor the police were interested, all the publicity about phoning the police and reporting it as fish theft was just lip service to anglers, the authorities were hardly ever interested before all the cuts that have been imposed on them, now they haven't the manpower even if they ere interested.
 
There's a staggering account on FaceBook about an angler on an R&DAA stretch of the Thames witnessing a guy tossing what was effectively a stick of dynamite into the Thames from the opposite bank, then sending in his dog to fetch the dead fish.
 
Yes, it's not nice to see as a pleasure angler.......but the young lad summed it up a bit "are we going to use them as bait"...just shows how he's being taught

So...in that the nets can't take them for the pot but the pike angler can use them as bait?

Also, police/ea struggling with cuts on budget like many other public services, chances are many a crime such as burglary would not have been attended to that day....I'd be peed off if the police were investigating that other than other crime
 
This must the Ethic diversity and free movement that we keep getting told is so good for us all, So stop moaning and enjoy.
 
I shall share this with Dilip Sarkar, please don`t "assume" it to be EE`s or anyone non English. A recent couple of arrests for poaching, have been involving English persons.
 
Shaun Nurse said:
I shall share this with Dilip Sarkar, please don`t "assume" it to be EE`s or anyone non English. A recent couple of arrests for poaching, have been involving English persons.
Click to expand...

Possibly Shaun, but almost certainly to sell to EE customers I would have thought
 
Jason Bean said:
Yes, it's not nice to see as a pleasure angler.......but the young lad summed it up a bit "are we going to use them as bait"...just shows how he's being taught

So...in that the nets can't take them for the pot but the pike angler can use them as bait?

Also, police/ea struggling with cuts on budget like many other public services, chances are many a crime such as burglary would not have been attended to that day....I'd be peed off if the police were investigating that other than other crime
Click to expand...

Big difference is Jason that I have never heard of pike anglers using a net like that to catch a few livebaits
 
Shocking, absolutely shocking, whoever did this, needs stringing up by his b***s. :mad::mad::mad: Big well done, to the people who did their best to save as many fish as they could.
 
Watching the video was very depressing and well done to FYH for finding and reporting it. Not sure about the comment about the EA not interested, they are all over it? https://www.gov.uk/government/news/appeal-for-information-following-illegal-fishing-in-london

Lets hope they do step up the patrols!

Its an area I know very well and have fished for years, it is semi tidal so getting a net like that down is going to catch more fish with the tide movements. Note about the Flounder, yes they come up especially in low flows when the what is essentiality a low brackish content increases.

Makes you wonder how many times its has happened before, need to stay vigilant on all rivers
 
About 6 years ago me and a fishing mate removed a massive 10m Seine net from the river Colne, about 5 miles away from this incident, on Stanwell moor.The net stretched from bank to bank and was heavily weighted down.I dragged it across a field and hid it under a bush.The EA came out the next morning and were shocked.A few weeks later i removed a very big plastic trap(not a crayfish trap) from the same area.Be aware this is happening and keep an eye out.Why are the authorities not checking the places that are selling these fish.
 
Dave Harvey said:
Watching the video was very depressing and well done to FYH for finding and reporting it. Not sure about the comment about the EA not interested, they are all over it? https://www.gov.uk/government/news/appeal-for-information-following-illegal-fishing-in-london

Lets hope they do step up the patrols!

Its an area I know very well and have fished for years, it is semi tidal so getting a net like that down is going to catch more fish with the tide movements. Note about the Flounder, yes they come up especially in low flows when the what is essentiality a low brackish content increases.

Makes you wonder how many times its has happened before, need to stay vigilant on all rivers
Click to expand...



Cant be because it has been publicised so widely with the accompanying outrage that the EA saw a possibility of some good PR for themselves could it?
 
Pretty disturbed watching that. It was an area I fished a lot as a kid so know it quite well.
 
Good point Graham but I know the fisheries guys and some of the enforcement and they do take it very seriously. Problem though is so little resources for a river like the Thames where below Staines its all free fishing.

Thing highlighted here is that the rivers are quiet, not much being caught so few people out, Thames anyway. That becomes prime time for poaching and a message should be we need to be at least having a wander along our local stretches.
 
The message needs to be 'whatever it takes', our fishing should be protected through the licence fee. If it is not enough then it needs to go up!
 
I have reported several blatant poaching incidents to the EA, as yet there has never been an enforcement officer available to deal with the situation.
I agree that the only reason they are belatedly 'dealing' with this one is because of the publicity.
I spoke to an old friend last week who fishes that area a lot, this summer he caught a lot of small Bass, had a Seal around his boat and witnessed a Sturgeon of 24lb being caught.
The page with that video had another video of a Catfish capture.
Lots of fishy diversity in the tidal Thames.
 
Dave Harvey said:
Good point Graham but I know the fisheries guys and some of the enforcement and they do take it very seriously. Problem though is so little resources for a river like the Thames where below Staines its all free fishing.

Thing highlighted here is that the rivers are quiet, not much being caught so few people out, Thames anyway. That becomes prime time for poaching and a message should be we need to be at least having a wander along our local stretches.
Click to expand...

I have every respect for those struggling to keep up at the sharp end Dave, its a difficult job made worse by cuts and the indifference that exists within the organisation that take our fishing tax, what I have no respect for are the mealy mouthed pen pushers at the EA who's only interest is in preserving the cushy number they have along with their pension, when this dies down they will revert back to type.
 
Graham Young said:
I have every respect for those struggling to keep up at the sharp end Dave, its a difficult job made worse by cuts and the indifference that exists within the organisation that take our fishing tax, what I have no respect for are the mealy mouthed pen pushers at the EA who's only interest is in preserving the cushy number they have along with their pension, when this dies down they will revert back to type.
Click to expand...

Cant disagree with that Graham, let hope (always hope :)) that they do increase the patrols and its an isolated incident. The irony is that the EA have approved, in fact welcomed the proposed massive industrial hydropower plant that will take out a section of Teddington weir. Oh they do get a new fish pass but at what cost. Some irony here.

Cheers
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top