Police crackdown on illegal fishing in rivers

A police force has said it is "actively patrolling" rivers in an effort to crack down on anti-social behaviour and illegal fishing.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said it received reports of illegal fishing every year.

The force said criminals had "shot riverkeepers with ball bearings, vandalised their cars and home addresses, and killed wild animals as a means to intimidate".

Under Operation Traverse, it will continue patrolling river networks throughout the summer, which tends to see a rise in crime and anti-social behaviour.

Commonly known as fish poaching, theft of fishing rights is a criminal offence under the Theft Act 1968.

The force said it financially impacted local fisheries, and the "aggressive and anti-social behaviour displayed" by some poachers risked "driving away legitimate customers, which in turn will have an impact on the local economy".

On Saturday officers dealt with a 15-year-old boy through a Community Resolution for a fish poaching offence near Romsey on Saturday.

The following day officers spoke with three teenagers who were fishing at a private fishery near Whitchurch, however no issues were caused by the group, and they were given words of advice and moved on, the force added.

It is urged anyone with information about crime along the rivers to get in touch.