Teifi poacher fined

A man caught with a salmon up his sleeve has been ordered to pay £2,580 of fines and costs by magistrates in South Wales.

On 30 July 2023, Stephen Samuel of Cwmavon, Port Talbot was seen by a member of Llandysul Angling Association acting in a suspicious manner when walking away from the River Teifi. Despite heavy rain, Mr Samuel was only wearing a t-shirt but carrying a rain jacket over his shoulder. When confronting Mr Samuel, the LAA member saw the head of a salmon protruding from the arm of the jacket where it had been hidden to avoid detection (pictured).

The LAA member reported the incident to the police, who informed Natural Resources Wales, who sent an officer to apprehend Mr Samuel.

NRW reported: “Mr Samuel admitted he was fully aware that it was illegal to keep salmon caught in Welsh rivers and of the ban on using treble hooks on spinning baits and the use of barbed hooks while fishing for migratory fish.

“In mitigation, he told the officer he thought the salmon was a sea-trout, but it was put to him that the fish was still relatively fresh from the sea and, having just been caught, it retained the characteristics that clearly distinguish the two species, which were visible even to an inexperienced angler.”  

Samuel also admitted to knowing it is illegal to keep sea-trout over 60cm (2ft). The salmon was 79cm (2ft 7in). When it was examined, a large lure was found lodged deep in its throat, which had caused fatal blood loss.