Environment Agency officers and Cambridgeshire police helped disrupt the illegal poaching of fish this month whilst observing social distancing.
Officers were alerted to the incident on the Old Nene near March, after a member of the public called the Environment Agency's incident hotline and reported seeing a number of fish tangled and in distress in a fishing net.
Due to the quick actions of the member of the public all the fish were released alive, from what turned out to be an illegal net, which included 15 bream, five rudd, five perch and a tench.
The area was thoroughly searched into the evening on foot and by air using a police done. While no offenders were detained the risk to the environment was removed and the illegal activity was disrupted. The net was seized by the Environment Agency, who have now increased patrols in the area.
Kye Jerrom, the fisheries officer who seized the net, commented that large scale fish removal by poachers using nets is the worst scenario for fisheries, as netting is indiscriminate, is capable of killing huge numbers and is illegal.
"On this occasion the help of a passing member of the public prevented what could have been a major fish theft and environmental incident".
Craig Flavell, Rural Crime Action Team sergeant for East Cambridgeshire Police, said "Our Rural Crime Action Team (RCAT) have a commitment to tackling wildlife crime and we were pleased to work alongside the Environment Agency to disrupt poaching in Cambridgeshire".
Those caught using illegal fishing nets could face a £2,500 fine and be prosecuted.
