‘Fishy tale’ lands man with €500 fine

A MAN on the bank of the River Lee with a fishing rod in his hand said he was not fishing but he was “going fishing” but the lawyer for Inland Fisheries Ireland accused him of telling “a fishy tale”.

Now at Cork District Court the disputed incident that occurred on the morning of June 18 has resulted in fines of €500 and a further order of €350 costs against angler, David Casey, of 11 Mount St. Joseph’s Heights, Gurranabraher, Cork.

The incident occurred at 11.15am on June 18 near the weir by the rear of Kingsley Hotel on the south bank of the River Lee.

Defence solicitor, Michael Quinlan, said David Casey insisted he was not fishing. Fishery officer, Stephen Kiely, said that the defendant did say that he was not fishing.

However, the officer said he clearly saw him fishing when he first spotted him on the bank of the river. And he also said that he could see it even more clearly when he looked through binoculars.

David Casey was questioned in court by Kevin Quirke, solicitor for Inland Fisheries Ireland.

“You were fishing,” Mr Quirke said.

Mr Casey replied that he was not fishing but that he “stopped for a quick cast. But I didn’t get to have a cast”.

He said fisheries officers took the rod off him and that a bit of it broke off and fell into the river.

“It was a four-piece rod with no line on it. I hadn’t set up,” he said.

He claimed that the fisheries officers did not identify themselves at first and he did not know who they were. He said anglers nearby started videoing what was happening “because they (officers) singled me out”.

Mr Quirke asked the defendant how long he was fishing. The 32-year-old replied: “All my life.”

Mr Quirke asked: “Have you ever had a salmon licence?”

He replied: “No, I don’t fish for salmon. I fish for brown trout.”

Mr Quirke said it was known that a lot of salmon could be found in that spot on the river.

Mr Quirke asked him was he wearing a white T-shirt on the day. He replied that he wasn’t and that the shirt he was wearing was “blue and peach or something”.

“Were you fishing?” Mr Quirke asked. “No. I was going fishing. I didn’t have a hook,” he said, adding that he was going to ask another angler for a hook and bait.

“Did you co-operate with the officer?” Mr Quirke asked.

He replied: “How could you co-operate with someone breaking your rod?”

Mr Quirke said: “It is a bit of a fishy tale you are telling the court… And you made a mountain out of a molehill on the day.”

David Casey replied: “They seized my rod unlawfully with no reason.”

Mr Quirke asked: “Have you ever caught a salmon?”

The angler replied: “No. How could you catch a salmon if you’re not fishing for salmon?”

Judge Marian O’Leary convicted and fined David Casey €100 on each of five charges: refusing to give his name to fishery officer, Stephen Kiely, of Inland Fisheries Ireland; obstructing an authorised officer, impeding an officer, not having a rod licence for salmon and fishing for salmon.

The judge dismissed a charge of using fish hooks other than single barbless hooks.