A MAN has been fined £3,900 after he was charged with fishing illegally for crayfish by South Lakeland magistrates.

The court heard how he caught at least 40 of the protected white claw species – cooking some and storing others live in an ice box.

Magistrates were told Christopher Hemsley, 42, was caught carrying crayfish away from the River Kent in a Tesco’s bag after a Staveley resident told Environment Agency officers she had seen people fishing.

Two officers uncovered crayfish traps in the river and contacted police.

Shortly after midday on Sunday, September 27, Hemsley, from Bramhope, Leeds, was arrested for illegal fishing.

He admitted setting traps along the river the previous evening, and taking at least 40 of the creatures back to a caravan he was staying at with friends.

Father-of-three Hemsley was charged with one offence under section 9 of the Wildlife Act and one offence of unlicensed fishing.

The travelling salesman pleaded guilty to both offences and was fined £3,900.

He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a victim surcharge of £15.

John Batty, mitigating, described Helmsley as a family man with no similar convictions.

Mr Batty said: “Mr Hemsley has had this case hanging over him – it has been a drain on his emotions.

“Crayfish were caught and some of them were eaten but he had no idea of the offence he was committing.

"He is thoroughly embarrassed about his predicament.”

Katie Marsden, prosecuting, said the decline of native crayfish was catastrophic and the last strongholds were in the rivers Kent and Eden.

Native crayfish have come under threat from American Signal crayfish, who out compete them for food and habitat.

A bylaw for trapping crayfish in England and Wales came into force in 2005 restricting the accidental or deliberate movement of alien crayfish while allowing trapping in some areas.

Environment Agency fishery officer Graeme McKee said the incident was the only one of its kind he had heard of in his 25 years.