Elver can fetch very good prices at market

Environment Agency water bailiffs patrolling the River Parrett in April discovered Peter Goodland fishing with an oversized net.

Stephen Green, Steven Griffiths and Stanley Harper, were also found to be breaching the regulations.

A fourth man received a conditional discharge from Bridgwater magistrates.

All four defendants had their nets confiscated.

Pleading guilty

Goodland, of Gloucester Road, Bridgwater, was given a conditional discharge after pleading guilty to an offence under the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975.

Green, 36, of Adscombe Avenue, Bridgwater, was fined �300 and ordered to pay �200 costs after pleading guilty to using an elver net greater than 1.25m long.

In addition to being fined, Green was disqualified from holding an elver fishing licence for two years after being prosecuted for a second time in two years.

Griffiths, of Peach Tree Cottage, Bridgwater, was given a conditional discharge and ordered to pay �100 costs after pleading guilty to contravening a National Eel fishery byelaw.

Harper, of Parkstone Avenue, Bridgwater, was fined �100 and disqualified from holding an elver fishing licence for one year after pleading guilty to two offences.

Monday's court appearances follow the recent prosecution of local elver fisherman, Sean Godfrey, who was ordered to pay �350 for using an over-sized net.

An Environment Agency spokesman said: "Elvers can fetch very high prices.

"At the moment they command in the region of �435 per kilogram and prices peaked at �525 this year."