AN angler has been ordered to pay more than £400 after being caught without a rod licence in Ringwood.

Tommy Jay Rose, 26 and of Kittiwake Close in Bournemouth, submitted a guilty plea in his absence to fishing without a rod licence at Rockford Lake.

He was fined £192 and ordered to pay £135 costs and a £76 victim surcharge at Northampton Magistrates' Court on June 3.

Lewis Swift, Environment Agency fisheries enforcement officer, said: “Buying a rod licence is not expensive. Getting caught fishing without one is. Most anglers carry one. The few that don’t take a big risk and will be caught and prosecuted.”

Any angler aged 13 or over, fishing on a river, canal or still water needs a licence.

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.

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.

Anyone with information about illegal fishing activities can contact the Environment Agency incident hotline 24/7 on 0800 80 70 60 or anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.