A skin diver who was seen spear fishing for sea trout has been fined £ 150. Christopher Stacey, 43, was seen snorkelling in the River Plym in Devon on two occasions last July. The first time he was seen in the water with what appeared to be a spear, Plymouth magistrates heard.
On the second, a woman with him was seen putting a fish into a plastic bag, the court was told. The area of the river where Stacey was seen is a known holding area for salmon and sea trout.
Stacey, of Rendlesham Gardens, Plymouth, admitted using a spear gun when EA officials tracked him down. He admitted unlawfully using a speargun for the purpose of killing and taking sea trout.
He was fined £ 150 and ordered to pay plus £ 55 costs.
After the hearing, EA officer Mark Pilcher said: “The Plym is an important salmon and sea trout river in the south west and this skin diver was seen using his speargun in known holding areas for fish.
“Great efforts are made to conserve and protect dwindling salmon stocks and this type of indiscriminate fishing will not be tolerated.”
