A MAN caught with a salmon up his sleeve on the river Teifi has been ordered to pay £2,580 by magistrates.

On 30 July 2023, a member of the Llandysul Angling Association (LAA) saw Stephen Samuel, of Cwmavon, Port Talbot, killing and taking a salmon from their fishery on the River Teifi.

The LAA member reported the incident to Dyfed Powys Police, who in turn contacted a Natural Resources Wales (NRW) enforcement officer who went to the river and apprehended Samuel with the assistance of an LAA member and a voluntary LAA water bailiff.

Samuel was seen by an LAA member acting in a suspicious manner when walking away from the river. Despite the heavy rain, Samuel was only wearing a t-shirt but carrying a rain jacket over his shoulder.

When confronting Samuel, the LAA member saw the head of a salmon protruding from the arm of the jacket where it had been hidden to avoid detection.

The NRW officer arrived at the scene a short while later and informed Samuel that he would be reported for the offences put against him.

He was reported for four offences, where three were contravening the Wales rod and line (Salmon and Sewin Sea Trout) Byelaws 2017, namely the compulsory catch and release of salmon, using barbed hooks and using treble hooks. He was also reported for an offence taken from The Salmon Act 1968 for handling salmon under suspicious circumstances.

While under caution, Samuel admitted he was fully aware that it was illegal to keep any salmon caught in Welsh rivers and of the ban on using treble hooks on spinning baits and the use of barbed hooks while fishing for migratory fish such as salmon and sea trout.

In mitigation, Samuel told the officer he thought the salmon was a sea trout.

Samuel also said he was fully aware that all sea trout over 60cm in length must be returned to the river, but he still deliberately attempted to conceal the 79cm salmon inside his jacket knowing it was illegal to do so.

Samuel had deliberately used a large spinning bait with a barbed treble hook and when the fish was examined by the officer, the lure was still lodged deep in its throat and gill rackers . While trying and being unable to dislodge the barbed hook, Samuel caused severe blood loss and gill damage, which resulted in the death of the fish.

Samuel was fined £621, reduced to £414 for an early guilty plea, he was ordered to pay NRW costs of £2,000 and a Victim Surcharge of £166. In addition, the Magistrates authorised a confiscation order for all of his fishing tackle used in the offence.

NRW Enforcement Officer Mark Thomas said: “We hope that penalties like this will serve as a deterrent to those people who jeopardise the future sustainability of our rivers and the enjoyment of the vast majority of anglers who fish legally and responsibly.”