A County Durham man has been fined for illegal fishing after being caught in the act by a member of the Environment Agency.
Jordan Aldworth, 26, was fined £450 and ordered to pay costs of £145 after using a dangerous hook to kill salmon. The Environment Agency fisheries enforcement team witnessed the act during a planned evening watch, and worked with police to confront the man.
On 25 November 2020, acting on information from the public, an Environment Agency fisheries enforcement team took up an evening watch on the River Wear near Escomb. They saw Mr Aldworth, along with two other people, using a light and an illegal gaff (a spear with a large hook at the end) to kill salmon in the shallow waters. The group was later stopped by police and Environment Agency fisheries enforcement officers.
