A television angler and his friend have been accused of risking the spread of a virus in Ireland and jeopardising the growing angling tourism industry.
Angling writer Nigel Williams (48), known as the "the pike ace"because of his prowess shown on television, and Gary Banks (37) were stopped at Holyhead ferry port in Anglesey, Wales, on their way to Ireland last May.
Banks, Moseley Meadow, Wolverhampton, was yesterday fined £800 (€1,185) by magistrates at Holyhead and ordered to pay £500 (€741) costs. He admitted exporting 86 roach, 15 carp, three bream hybrids and a goldfish without a health certificate. The court heard tests on a sample showed they were disease-free but the fish were slaughtered.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs prosecutor Stephen Smith said it might seem trivial for it to bring the case that had cost it £5,000 (€7,408), but there were several reasons that it was important.
Britain had a duty to ensure anything exported was certified disease-free and would not contaminate fresh waters in other countries. Unlike Ireland, Britain was not free of the disease spring viraemia of carp. "Attempting to export fish to a jurisdiction which is disease-free potentially risks the disease-free status of Ireland," Mr Smith said.
"The Irish authorities are watching with anticipation to see how Wales is dealing with this prosecution. It risks the angling industry in Ireland, which is a growing industry. . . If we are not seen to take these cases seriously, it potentially opens the floodgates for many other people to attempt similar offences in the future."
Mr Smith said Banks had been stopped by a customs officer at the port. In the back of his car was a tank of fish.
"Mr Banks stated he was going to kill the fish before they were used. The prosecution case is that was very unlikely. Experts from the Centre for Environment, Fisheries and Aquaculture Science say if live bait is used then larger fish can be caught."
Defence solicitor John Meredith said Banks, a married father of two, worked in the electrical trade and was a small recreational angler who was going to Ireland on an annual trip.
"My fear is this case has been brought for window-dressing to try and make an example of this man," Mr Meredith said. "He had no idea he was committing any kind of offence. What Mr Banks was doing was taking some live fish with him in order to kill and use as fresh bait in Ireland where he was going to fish. Fish prefer fresh bait."
Mr Banks told the court he was very sorry for what he had done.
Chairwoman Pat Doble said: "You tried to deceive the authorities at the port of Holyhead. What you did could have had far-reaching implications in the Republic of Ireland as it is a disease-free fishing country for this particular fish . . . The environmental impact could have been catastrophic."
Williams, Coven Heath, Wolverhampton, pleaded guilty by letter but his case was adjourned until next month for him to attend court. He wrote that the fish were to be used as dead bait.
He deeply regretted his actions that had caused embarrassment to fellow anglers. "I have had to resign as a member of the Pike Anglers' Club of Great Britain."
In an anglers' magazine column, he had told how he was returning to Ireland with three friends and "we are wondering what is going to go wrong this time".