Bridgend
company fined £8,500 for polluting
the River Ewenny (22-Dec-2004)
A company on the Bridgend
Industrial Estate pleaded guilty yesterday
(Monday) to two charges at Bridgend
Magistrates Court of polluting the River
Ewenny. Invacare Ltd. was fined a total
of £8,500 and were also ordered
to pay £832 in costs to Environment
Agency Wales who brought the prosecution.
The company caused polluting matter
to enter controlled waters contrary
to section 85(1) of the Water Resources
Act and Section 4 of the Salmon and
Fresh Water Fisheries Act.
The Court heard that on the 1 September
2003 an Agency Environment Officer traced
a rainbow sheen on the River Ewenny
to Invacare Ltd. On investigation at
the factory the company was found to
have experienced a spill from a fuel
tank earlier that day. Samples were
taken from the fuel tank at the factory,
which matched that of the discharge
into the River Ewenny.
Despite advice from the Agency, the
company continued to pollute the River
Ewenny for a further two days following
the initial spill.
Karen Dunn, Environment Officer for
the Agency, said after the case: "This
type of incident could have easily been
prevented if only the company had listened
to pollution prevention advice given
by the Agency. Invacare Ltd must now
learn from this and take immediate steps
to prevent this from happening again.
When rivers are polluted drinking water
and irrigation supplies can be put at
risk and the entire wildlife population
of a river can be destroyed."
A
Pontypridd man, fishing without a valid
rod licence was ordered to pay £180
in fines and costs in a case brought
by Environment Agency Wales at Bridgend
Magistrates Court on Monday 5 April
2004.
Douglas Jones of Heol Ida, Beddau, Pontypridd
pleaded guilty to fishing for trout
by means of an unlicensed rod and line
contrary to Section 27(a) of the Salmon
and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 (SFFA
75) He also pleaded guilty to contravening
Byelaw 8(1) of the Agency's National
Byelaws by fishing for trout with more
than one rod and line, an offence contrary
to Section 211 of the Water Resources
Act 1991. Both these offences were committed
on the River Ogmore at the Angel Pool,
Aberkenfig on 26 August 2003. On conviction
he was fined £120 for the SFFA
75 offence whilst the Justices imposed
no separate penalty in relation to the
Byelaw offence. In addition Jones was
ordered to pay costs of £60 to
the Agency.
At
Bridgend Magistrates’ Court on Monday
28 October 2003:
Dean Leyshon of Quarella Road , Bridgend
pleaded guilty to fishing by means of
an unlicensed instrument (a set line),
contrary to Section 27(a) of the Salmon
and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975 .
He was given a conditional discharge
for 12 months and was ordered to pay
costs of £60 to Environment Agency
Wales who brought the prosecution. Leyshon
was seen by an Agency officer, downstream
of a weir on the River Ogmore, to the
rear of Quarella Road. The officer watched
as Leyshon cast a worm-baited hook in
to the river, connected the line to
a plastic spool and secured it to the
ground. The officer then approached
Leyshon and cautioned him. Leyshon,
who admitted to the offence, claimed
he was unaware that it was illegal to
use a hand line to fish for eels. Two
set lines were recovered from the river
and were seized by the Agency officer.
Fishing with
a handline lands three £750 in
fines and costs
Author: Martin Watkins
Date published: 21-Aug-2003
Three brothers
who were fishing for freshwater fish
using a handline have landed a total
of £750 in fines and costs.
In cases heard in Bridgend Magistrates’
on 19 August 2003, Dwayne and Steven
Watts, both of Tenison Road , St Cradocs
, Pontypool were found guilty of fishing
for freshwater fish in the River Ogmore
at Merthyr Mawr on 16 July 2002. Both
defendants were fined £200 each
and ordered to pay £50 each towards
the costs of Environment Agency Wales
who brought the prosecutions.
At an earlier hearing a third defendant,
Richard Watts of Cherhill Court, Mordon,
Swindon had pleaded guilty to the same
charge on 15 July 2003. He was fined
£150 and ordered to pay £100
costs to the Agency.
The use of an unlicensed instrument
is an offence contrary to Section 27(a)
of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries
Act 1975.
All three defendants had originally
been summoned to appear before the court
on 30 September 2002 but had failed
to attend. After a further failure to
attend on 14 October 2002 the court
granted arrest warrants. The warrants
in respect of Dwayne and Steven Watts
were executed and both defendants appeared
in court on 27 June 2003.
After the case an Agency spokesperson
said: " These men appear to have
had little regard for the law or for
other people’s property. The only legal
way to fish in freshwater is by the
use of a rod and line, to be in possession
of a valid Agency rod licence and by
obtaining the fishery owners permission
to fish."
NOTE
Anyone aged 12 or over, who fishes for
salmon, trout, freshwater fish or eels
in England and Wales must have an Environment
Agency rod fishing licence. Licenses
are available from Post Offices, on
the internet or over the phone on 0870
1662 662.
An Agency rod licence is required in
addition to the permit to fish,which
the angler buys from the owner of the
fishery.
Licence Fees 2003/2004:
Migratory SalmonidLicence
Type Full £61
Concessionary
£30.50 8-day
£18.00 1-day
£6.00
Coarse & TroutLicence
Type Full £22
Concessionary
£11
8-day £7.00 1-day
£2.75 Junior
£5
Anyone who sees pollution, illegal tipping
of waste, poaching, fish in distress
or danger to the natural environment
can contact the Agency’s emergency hotline
on 0800 80 70 60. The hotline operates
24 hours a day, 365 days a year, calls
are free and will be treated in the
strictest confidence.
At
Bridgend Magistrates' Court on 28 April
2003:.
Matthew
Butt and Matthew Flower, both of Jubilee
Crescent, Sarn, Bridgend pleaded guilty
by post to fishing without Agency rod
licences. This is an offence under Section
27(a) of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries
Act 1975 (S.A.F.F.A 75). Both men were
seen fishing on the right bank of the
River Ogmore at Aberkenfig on 5 September
2002. They were fined £50 each
and were each fined an additional £50
for using a prohibited bait (maggot)
contrary to Byelaw 9 of the Agency’s
Fishery Byelaws. In addition each man
was ordered to pay costs of £25
to the Agency.
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The
Following case was heard by bridgend magistrates.
As reported in the weekly Glamorgan Gazette,
March 6th 2003. Sion Hearne aged 19, of
Bakers Way, Bryncethin, was conditionally
discharged for 12 months and ordered to
pay £100 costs. He was convicted
in his abensence, for fishing on the Ogmore
River between Brynmenyn and Newmill place
other than with a rod.
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Fishing
offences cost two men £300 |
Two
men were each fined £100 for fishing
offences at Bridgend Magistrate’s Court on
the 13th of January 2003 and were each ordered
to pay costs of £50 to Environment Agency
Wales who brought the prosecution.
Lewis Gronow of Maesteg Road,Tondu, Bridgend
was fined £50 for fishing without a
licence, in the River Ogmore at Merthyr Mawr
on 29 July 2002 contrary to Section 27(a)
of the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act
1975 (S.A.F.F.A.75) and a further £50
for giving the Fisheries Officer a false name,
contrary to Section 35(3) of S.A.F.F.A.
Darren Young
of Wood Cottage, South Road, Sully,Vale of
Glamorgan was fined £50 for using ground
bait in the River Ogmore at Merthyr Mawr on
14 July 2002, contrary to Byelaw 9(a)(1) of
Environment Agency Byelaws and Section 211
of the Water Resources Act 1991 and a further
£50 for using a line baited with maggots,
contrary to Byelaw 9(a)(2) of the same byelaws
and the 1991 Act.
An Agency
spokesperson said after the cases: "Although
the use of ground bait and maggots is a recognised
method allowed to catch coarse fish, it is
not allowed in rivers throughout South West
Wales as they contain mainly salmonid species
such as trout and salmon. Rod fishermen must
obtain a valid licence before starting to
fish. The income from rod licences is used
for the development and maintenance of fisheries,
restocking, policing and enforcing fisheries
legislation. If standards of fishing are to
be maintained and improved it is essential
that the licence requirements are observed.
Our advice is – don’t get a fine – get a licence."
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Three
men fined for fishing without licence on the
Ogmore |
At
Bridgend Magistrates' Court yesterday (Monday)
three men were convicted in their absence
and fined a total of £85 for fishing without
a licence contrary to Section 85 of the Salmon
and Freshwater Fisheries Act 1975, together
with costs totalling £105. They were: -Mark
Holt of The Old Vicarage, St Brides Major,
Vale of Glamorgan who was fishing at Dipping
Bridge, Ogmore, Bridgend on 14 April 2002.
He was fined £10 and ordered to pay costs
of £35.Phillip Pook of North Lodge, Heol-y-Cawl,
Corntown, Bridgend was fishing the River Ogmore
near the A48, Bridgend on 21 April 2002. He
was fined £25 and ordered to pay costs of
£35.Stephen Anthony Williams of Treoes Road,
Coychurch, Bridgend was also fishing the River
Ogmore at Merthyr Mawr, Bridgend on 5 May
2002. He was fined £50 and ordered to pay
costs of £35.An Agency spokesperson said after
the case: "There are no excuses for not
purchasing a rod licence. Anglers who fail
to do so are denying fellow anglers of essential
funding for fisheries and will be prosecuted."
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Fishing
Offence costs man £155
At Bridgend
Magistrates Court on July 22, William Price
of Orchard Drive, Smithy Fen, Cottenham, Cambridge,
was fined £75 after being found guilty in
his absence of fishing without a licence,
contrary to the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries
Act, 1975.
He was also
order to pay £80 towards the costs of the
EA Wales, who brought the prosecution.
Price was
caught fishing for trout on the left bank
of the River Llynfi at Coytrahen, Bridgend
on March 24. After the case, an agency spokesperson
said: "the income derived from rod licence
fees is essential for the development and
maintenance of fisheries, re-stocking, habitat
improvement and law enforcement. Anglers who
fail to purchase licences are depriving their
colleagues of the essential funding and will
be prosecuted."
Local
River Pollution Costs Bridgend Company £3,350
UK
Marine Engineering Ltd of Springfield Close,
Bridgend was fined £750 at Bridgend Magistrates
Court last week after pleading guilty to polluting
the Nant Twrch (a tributary of the river Llynfi)
with cement. The company was also order to
pay £2600 costs to Environment Agency Wales
who brought the prosecution
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Llynfi
Pollution Incident Costs Maesteg Company £21,000
Maesteg
engineering company was convicted at Bridgend
Magistrates Court for polluting the River
Llynfi.
Midcast
Engineering (Wales) Ltd, pleaded guilty to
causing polluting matter to enter controlled
waters, contrary to section 85 (1) of the
water resources Act, 1991. The magistrates
were told that on July 26-27 2001, environment
protection officers traced a milky white substance
to Midcast Engineering Ltd.
On
investigation at the factory, a large trailer
full of waste metal shavings could be seen
to be leaking lubricating oil and coolant
into the a surface water drain.
Despite
an initial warning, the company continued
to pollute the river. Midcast Engineering
was subsequently served with an enforcement
notice to put pollution preventions measures
in place to prevent any further pollution
occurring. This has resulted in the company
undertaking extensive works at the factory
costing £20,000.
The
company was fined £100 in court and agreed
to pay £1000 towards the Environment Agency's
cost's.
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Contact:
Peter Black on 07774 256123 or 029
20 898744
15
May 2002
AM
to take sewage treatment works fight to the
Assembly
The
Welsh Liberal Democrat Assembly Member for South
Wales West, Peter Black, is to take the concerns
of residents in Merthyr Mawr, Ewenny, Ogmore-by-Sea,
St. Brides’ Major and Laleston about smells
from a local sewage treatment works directly
to the Assembly Environment Minister.
Mr.
Black met residents and representatives from
the areas around the Pen-y-Bont Sewage Treatment
Works today to discuss their long-standing concerns
about unholy smells emanating from the plant.
They told him that despite Welsh Water
carrying out nearly £2 million worth of work
at the treatment works, smells are as bad as
ever and do not look like getting any better.
Mr. Black is now to ask Environment Minister,
Sue Essex, if the Assembly has any powers to
intervene.
He is also to write to Welsh Water, Ofwat,
Bridgend County Borough Council and the Vale
of Glamorgan Council to ask them to take action
to sort the problem out once and for all.
“This is a long-standing problem that
appears to have started some ten or twelve years
ago when the treatment works started to take
effluent from Porthcawl”, said Mr. Black.
“New housing in this area and new developments
such as that at Broadlands seem to have contributed
to the problem and may well be over-loading
the network of pipes leading to the treatment
works, thus contributing to the smell.”
“I am very disturbed that despite massive
expenditure by Welsh Water they have not been
able to put this right.
They are now promising residents further
monitoring but no real action. That is not acceptable.
An odour abatement order from Bridgend
Council also appears to have had no impact and
so I am asking the Environment Minister to investigate
what powers the Assembly has to intervene in
this matter.
Welsh Water must be prepared to accept
that the treatment works may have reached its
capacity and need replacing.
If that is the case then I hope that
they will not shirk from putting up the money
for a replacement.” |
Anyone
who witnesses pollution, illegal tipping of
waste, fish in distress, poaching or danger
to the natural environment, can report the
incident to the agency's emergency hotline
on 0800 807060, call are free |
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