Jingfeng Wu, 40, of Wellington Street in Newcastle, appeared at Newcastle Magistrates’ Court on Friday 4 July. He pleaded guilty to illegally fishing for crayfish on the banks of the River Blyth at Bellasis Bridge, near Stannington.

He was fined £140, ordered to pay costs of £500 and a victim surcharge of £56. The equipment, including traps and containers, were ordered to be destroyed

The Environment Agency regulates crayfish fishing to protect native white clawed crayfish. Licences can be granted for commercial reasons, fisheries management and scientific research.

The court heard that on 16 August 2024 Environment Agency Fisheries Enforcement Officers were alerted to the activity by a game keeper.

Officers attended and saw Wu along with a woman and boy walking towards a parked car from the River Blyth. Wu and the boy were both carrying buckets that contained crayfish.

Wu took the officers to where he’d caught the crayfish and there were 4 crayfish traps in the river, 2 of which had crayfish in them. The traps had been freshly baited. Officers seized the crayfish and traps.

The crayfish caught were invasive American Signal crayfish, with the traps placed near to where an internationally significant population of native white clawed crayfish is located.

Trapping can spread crayfish plague

Commercial trapping of crayfish for human consumption is not permitted in northern England 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 the endangered 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.

Wu denied knowing that his actions were an offence or that the traps found belonged to him.

He said he had seen online videos which encouraged people to trap the non-native invasive species, and said he thought he was doing a ‘good thing for nature’.

David Shears, Environment Agency Senior Fisheries Officer said:

Illegally fishing for invasive crayfish can put the native white clawed species at greater risk, and we need to do everything we can to ensure their survival into the future.

Anyone wanting to fish for crayfish must contact the Environment Agency to apply for a permit first, and this is only approved under very specific circumstances.

Background

Full charge

Fishing for or taking fish in circumstances where the fishing or taking may be authorised under s27A of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975, but where no such authorisation was in place.

Contrary to s27B(1), s37 and schedule 4, paragraph 1 of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975

• 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.  

• Licences are available from www.gov.uk/get-a-fishing-licence