- Environment Agency prosecutes 36-year-old for using traps on River Derwent in Derbyshire
- Native white clawed crayfish protected by legislation
- Case heard at Derby Magistrates Court on Monday 13 January 2025
On Monday 13 January 2025, Armands Rukmanis, 36, of Rawson Street, Selston, pleaded guilty at Derby Magistrates’ Court to the offence committed near Beeley, Derbyshire, on 13 July 2023.
He was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay costs of £300.
The court was told that Rukmanis was stopped by a riverkeeper who recognised him previously for setting crayfish traps.
Derbyshire Police also attended and Rukmanis, having initially said he had not started to set crayfish traps, admitted he had already set eight traps.
He confirmed that he knew that this activity was illegal, stating he had a licence for another location. The traps were seized by the police.
Crayfish regulation
The Environment Agency regulates crayfish fishing to protect native white clawed crayfish. Licences can be granted for commercial reasons, fisheries management and scientific research.
Commercial trapping of crayfish for human consumption is not permitted, because it can cause the spread of disease (known as the crayfish plague) from invasive signal crayfish to native white claw crayfish.
This is fatal to native white claw crayfish.
Trapping also results in an increase in the population of signal crayfish, because it removes the larger crayfish which naturally predate on the smaller ones.
Following the verdict, a spokesperson for the Environment Agency, said
This case shows how seriously the courts take these offences and we hope the penalty will act as a deterrent to anyone who is thinking of fishing for crayfish.
Anyone wanting to fish for crayfish must contact the Environment Agency to apply for a permit first.
Fishing illegally can incur an unlimited fine and offenders can also have their fishing equipment seized.
The Charge
On 13 July 2023 Armands Rukmanis, on the River Derwent, South Oaks Farm, Rowsley Road, Beeley, Derbyshire, where fishing for or taking fish may be authorised under section 27A Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975, did fish for crayfish by means other than a licensable means of fishing namely an authorised crayfish trap contrary to Section 27B(1) Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.
Further Information
Anyone with information about illegal fishing activities can contact the Environment Agency Incident Hotline 24/7 on 0800 807060 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
The Environment Agency carries out enforcement work all year round and is supported by partners including the police and the Angling Trust.
Fisheries enforcement work is intelligence-led, targeting known hot-spots and where illegal fishing is reported.
Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water needs a licence.
A 1-day licence costs from just £7.10 and an annual licence costs from just £35.80. Concessions are available. Junior licences are free for 13 to 16-year-olds.
Licences are available from www.gov.uk/get-a-fishing-licence or by calling the Environment Agency on 0344 800 5386 between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Friday.
