Thieves are taking dinghies and nets out on to Black Country pools at night to steal the fish to sell on.
Illegal fishermen have been spotted on a number of stocked pools in Sandwell.
People claim they have seen thieves using small boats to get into the deep water, before using nets to trawl for the fish stocks.
Many of the thefts have taken place in the middle of the night, according to residents nearby and fears have been raised the fish are being sold on by the thieves.
Councillor Geoff Lewis said that he had received a number of phone calls from concerned members of the public who have witnessed the raids.
He said: “I just can’t believe this is happening. These people have got to be stopped. Clearly it is illegal to fish without a permit, but it is totally dangerous to head out on to open water in middle of the night.”
Thieves have been reported at Hydes Road pools in Wednesbury, the water at Victoria Park in Tipton and Swan Pool in Sandwell Valley, West Bromwich. Park rangers and street wardens have been drafted in by Sandwell Council to deter the thieves.
Telephone 0800 807060 to report illegal fishing .
2 Comments
The country is in such a mess,any thing is is possible these days.
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i’ll bet fish are being poached by east europeans and africans,i used to fish on tipton park years ago then the bangladesh kept coming round offering a few pence for the fish now the once lovely pool is almost empty the law needs to pull its finger out and i don’t mean fish fingers.
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