New Forest covered in fish poaching crackdown Operation Traverse by police and partners including the Angling Trust

POLICE have been angling to catch fish poachers by cracking down on New Forest hotspots in the run-up to summer.

Operation Traverse sees rural and wildlife crime officers from Hampshire’s country watch team work with partners to tackle seasonal trends of the offence across the county.

Known in law as ‘theft of fishing rights’, fish poaching in fresh water rivers involves people fishing without permission where a private right of fishery exists.

The Test and Itchen chalk rivers are big draws for fishing and also see a number of these offences due to their rich source of salmon and trout.

Warmer periods in spring and summer often coincide with increased reports of fish poaching.

A Hampshire police spokesperson said: “Fishermen who abide by the law provide lucrative business for landowners along the Test and Itchen, but poaching can put landowners at significant financial disadvantage and undermine the efforts of riverkeepers who work hard to organise the beats and opportunities for legitimate customers.”

The partners working with police on Operation Traverse include the Environment Agency and the Angling Trust.

Special training recently hosted by the trust included a focus on identifying illegal traps and nets, rods and other fishing equipment.

Officers also refreshed their knowledge on identifying suspicious people and activity on the river network, and ensuring checks are made for correct rod and fishing licences.

Subsequent patrols by the teams covered areas including Totton and Broadlands along the River Test, and the Lower Itchen.

Police seized a large amount of fishing kit found next to a lake in Ringwood where fishing is forbidden.

Poachers sometimes travel long distances to take valuable fish from a prohibited site before transporting them to other lakes. They dump and conceal their kit, intending to return for more offending.

PC Nick Atkins said: “We want people to keep reporting suspicious activity on the river network or concerns around illegal fishing to police.

“The more we know, the more action we can take alongside our key partners.

“We are already seeing annual increases of landowners making reports to us which helps with our intelligence gathering and ultimately any patrol activity and enforcement action.”

Anyone with information should contact officers online at hampshire.police.uk or by calling 101.