Voluntary Bailiff Service to tackle illegal fishing now live in the Midlands
The Angling Trust and Environment Agency partnership has now made possible the keenly anticipated national roll-out of the Voluntary Bailiff Service (VBS), following a pilot project in the South East.
The Midlands was the third VBS region to go ‘live’ on Saturday, 20th February. This region includes Shropshire, Herefordshire, Worcestershire, Gloucestershire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, West Midlands, Derbyshire, Nottinghamshire and Leicestershire, with 33 successful applicants attending the inaugural mandatory induction day held near Bromsgrove, Worcestershire.
The event was jointly hosted by Angling Trust Midlands Regional Enforcement Manager Kevin Pearson, a retired West Midlands Police inspector, and Environment Agency VBS Project Manager Adrian Brightley.
Kevin Pearson said: “This was a fantastic day for angling in the Midlands with 33 volunteers joining Phase 1 Voluntary Bailiff Service and offering their support to the Environment Agency and the Police in tackling poaching and all angling-related crime. I am very optimistic about the future and already have more volunteers ready to join at the next induction later in the year.”
The event was attended and supported by the Environment Agency together with Chief Inspector Martin Sims, Head of the UK National Wildlife Crime Unit, and PC Paul Lambon from West Mercia Constabulary.
PC Lambon, a key-player in Operation Leviathan, a high profile multi-agency, multi-force, operation focussing on illegal fishing and fish theft, said: “From a policing perspective I am extremely pleased the Voluntary Bailiff Service is now up and running in our area. It’s early days and we shouldn’t expect to see huge changes overnight, but by working together we will make a difference: we are stronger together.”
Environment Agency Fisheries Enforcement Officer Chris Ponsford contributed to training at the induction and said: “The Environment Agency welcomes the opportunity to work with enthusiastic volunteers to […]