Former detective on a mission to stamp out fishing crime - full interview
After 30 years in the police, former detective Nino Brancato has joined the Angling Trust as manager of its Fisheries Enforcement Support Service. We spoke to the 55-year-old about his hopes for tackling angling crime…
Nino Brancato receives a commendation from the then Thames Valley Police Chief Constable, Dame Sara Thornton, for helping to disarm a man wielding a pump-action shotgun.
What’s your association with fishing?
I haven’t fished for about 20 years, but I used to go with my father-in-law down in Devon to do a bit of sea fishing.
How did you come into this role?
It was advertised on the National Association of Retired Police Officers and I thought my skill set could be put to good use. The Angling Trust’s regional enforcement managers are all retired police officers and I felt I could help with a knowledge of how to get things done, networking and managing budgets.
Some anglers believe the police don’t take fish-related crime seriously. What was your impression during your time in the force?
First, that type of crime is under the radar – it’s very, very under-reported, and if you don’t report it then nothing will get done. It’s like moaning about parking on your road, but if you don’t report it to the council then they’ll never send a traffic warden. My message is ‘Report it, report it, report it’ – not by moaning on Facebook but by making a formal report. There are specific offences of fish theft and other offences such as criminal damage that the police can act on.
What challenges do you expect to face?
The challenge is supporting the Environment Agency and building on the numbers of current volunteers because we all know what’s going to happen to budgets. I see getting more volunteers as my overriding objective for the next year.
We’ll have years of limited budgets, so I’d rather step up to the plate and support the EA in its role to protect fisheries, rather than throw stones at it from the sidelines.
It seems angling is full of volunteers willing to support the sport…
Absolutely! There are a couple of things I’ve found since starting this role. The Fisheries Support Service is superb. There are very few non-government organisations that have got that kind of set-up, and the Building Bridges project is cutting edge when it comes to migrant integration. As well as dispelling myths and getting rid of discrimination it’s also bringing a whole new younger class of people into angling.
The Building Bridges (BB) initiative has made giant strides integrating migrant angling communities in England. This picture shows Nino at a BB meeting recently on the River Trent.
How important is the Voluntary Bailiff Scheme?
Very. Every time an angler goes out as a voluntary bailiff, even if they’ve nothing to report, that’s information the EA can use. If there are no problems being reported then resources can be diverted to where we are seeing issues. These bailiffs are our eyes and ears on the bank.
The number of voluntary bailiffs is often quoted as being 500 – is that accurate, and will you be looking to boost numbers?
The 500 figure was what was deemed manageable at the time, but we’re looking to increase that to 700 over the next two years. Normally we recruit once a year, but we’ll be going to a more rolling recruitment.
You had a distinguished police career, including receiving a commendation for disarming a man armed with a shotgun. Can you tell us more?
I joined the police at 19 and did 30 years’ service, including being seconded to units dealing with issues of national security. The incident with the shotgun was just 30 seconds of being in the right place at the right time. I’m more proud of the things I did to bring down burglary figures, which made a difference to people’s lives.
[Angling Times gently presses for more details on the shotgun incident] I was with a team of detectives investigating a murder of a care worker in the car park of a care home. At the time, the victim’s husband wasn’t a suspect but we went round to his home to bottom out his story. He was a serving police officer – a protection officer at Buckingham Palace – and he had a cache of illegal firearms. He pulled out the pump-action shotgun and three of us pounced on him to disarm him. This was back in 1997.
What skills are transferable from your police skills to this new role?
It’s about knowing how to process information, gathering intelligence and knowing how to record and detect crime. I’ve managed 40-strong teams 100 miles apart dealing with life-and-death decisions – you have to have an appetite for risk. My skill set will bring good investigation, good partnerships with the EA and police, and a knowledge of how to target resources.
Have you set yourself any targets?
It’s easy to set and achieve numbers, and I’m looking to increase the number of patrols and the amount of good-quality intelligence we can submit to the EA and police, but what I really want to see is a far more constructive collaboration with all the people who care about fish and fisheries.
Nino has wasted little time getting involved. Last month he was on a work party with Reading and District AA .
Former cop to battle poachers as head of Angling Trust project
A retired police officer who once tackled a man armed with a shotgun has been hired to lead a team of 500 volunteer bailiffs fighting poaching and unlicensed fishing.
Nino Brancato served in the police for more than 30 years but has now joined the Angling Trust as its national enforcement support manager.
Nino Brancato served in the police for more than 30 years but has now joined the Angling Trust as its national enforcement support manager
He will lead the 500-strong Voluntary Bailiff Service and the Building Bridges project which works with migrant anglers.
“I’m really looking forward to working with the Angling Trust’s Fisheries Enforcement Support Service and building on the great partnership we have with the Environment Agency,” said Nino.
“Our 500 volunteer bailiffs, led by a dedicated team of regional enforcement managers, and our Building Bridges team, provide quality intelligence which supports the work undertaken by the EA’s fisheries officers and police.”
The former detective inspector received a Higher Chief Constable’s Commendation for disarming a murder suspect who was wielding a pump-action shotgun.
Mark Owen, the Angling Trust’s head of freshwater, said:
“Having someone of Nino’s experience and seniority is a great asset to both the Angling Trust and fishing.”
The EA’s Graham Storey added:
“We’re working hard to crack down on illegal fishing, working in partnership with the Angling Trust, the police and others. With the skills and experience Nino brings to the role, we are confident that we will further reduce illegal fishing.”
The Fisheries Enforcement Support Service is funded by licence sales and includes the Voluntary Bailiff Service, which began as a pilot five years ago and now boasts 500 members. Nino replaces Dilip Sarkar, who left the Trust earlier this year.
The Fisheries Enforcement Support Service is funded by licence sales
Figures reveal low response to fishery incidents - do we need more bailiffs?
THE angling community is deeply concerned for the safety of our sport after damning figures were revealed about the Environment Agency’s response to fishery incidents over lockdown.
Obtained by a Freedom of Information request, they state that between March 23 and August 21 this year, the EA’s National Incident Recording System received 2,924 reports of fishery incidents across England. Just 103 were registered as ‘attended’.
The EA’s National Incident Recording System received 2,924 reports of fishery incidents across England. Just 103 were registered as ‘attended’
‘Fishery incidents’ include poaching and fish disease – but the EA states that it had to prioritise certain incidents over lockdown. A spokesperson told us:
“During the national lockdown we had to limit some field work due to Government guidance on how to manage the risk of contracting Coronavirus, but we continued to respond to the most damaging incidents which could have seriously harmed the environment.
“Over the course of the summer we carried out many fish rescue operations that were essential to protect vital fish species.”
The EA also told us that the figures might be slightly misleading:
“Some of the 2,924 incident notifications may have been from the same source. Others could have been unsubstantiated, while others won’t have been appropriate to attend, or not have been within our remit.”
Many believe the EA is underfunded
While there’s no doubt the EA faced an unprecedented and challenging time, and that these figures may not tell the full picture, this can’t continue – as angling ambassador, Rob Hughes, explains:
“To be honest, I’m not surprised by the figures. Over lockdown there were many problems, ranging from members of the public trespassing on fisheries right through to poaching.
“There was bound to be a high level of incidents, and the poor response time is indicative of just how underfunded the Environment Agency is.
“However, we can’t excuse these figures and people should not get away with poaching. The whole Covid situation has been a learning curve, and hopefully the EA can learn from these statistics and be better prepared in future.”
Martin Salter, Head of Policy at the Angling Trust, gave its view on the issue:
“The Trust is disappointed at the lack of activity on the ground by the Environment Agency during the lockdown period and after, but is pleased that normal service has been resumed,” he said.
What can be done to help the Environment Agency protect fisheries?
But has it? According to Adrian Lane, of Fishery Watch, the UK’s largest independent voluntary water keeper network, problems are still occurring.
“Last week we had a call about a man killing an 80cm pike. He’s admitted to it – I’ve received messages from him doing so – but when the incident was reported to the EA it showed no interest.
“We also received reports from a man fishing a canal who watched someone catching bream and putting them in a bucket to take away. Again, he called the EA, which was unable to help due to having nobody in the area. The problems are ongoing, and we can’t let it go on like this.”
It was Adrian who submitted the FOI request to the EA, after receiving an alarming number of calls from anglers during lockdown saying that they weren’t getting any help.
“People have called in desperation after failed attempts with the EA,” he says,
“and we will try and help out where we can.
“We made 41 calls to the police about fishery incidents over lockdown, and every single one was attended. Officers have even stayed on afterwards on occasions and helped clear up rubbish. It would be great if the EA could refer people to the police if its staff can’t attend an incident.”
Asked where he believes the EA’s problem lies, Adrian says:
“The last thing I want to do is criticise the people on the ground.
“I have great relationships with my enforcement officers, who are as passionate and caring about our fisheries as we are.
“I think the problems come from the top, and until more funding is made available our fisheries are in a perilous place.”
Post-lockdown rod licence sales soaring - where should the money go?
THE ENVIRONMENT Agency has been handed the chance to tackle some of the biggest issues facing fishing after receiving millions of pounds in extra income.
In the four weeks following the lifting of lockdown restrictions on May 13, more than 335,000 rod licences were sold, a 230 per cent rise in less than two months and 200,000 more than were sold in the corresponding period last year.
In the four weeks following the lifting of lockdown restrictions on May 13, more than 335,000 rod licences were sold
Newcomers to the sport accounted for the majority of the spike in sales, but there is nothing particularly new about the major issues facing angling. Anglers have been crying out for authorities to address growing problems with issues such as water quality and predation, but they aren’t the only problems and now a debate has begun on how the extra cash should best be spent.
The EA will obviously have its work cut out trying to please everyone, so we asked fishery owners, club officials and some of angling’s unsung heroes to tell us where they think the money should go.
Chris Wood, Shrewsbury Angling Club Secretary
SPEND IT ON: Improving river fishing
“The money should be put back into rivers and supporting angling clubs. There are several ways to do this, but the most important is by making fisheries safer. By this I mean building platforms along stretches to make river fishing comfortable and accessible. Clambering down steep banks and cutting your way through a jungle isn’t for everyone, particularly when so many of us are used to sitting by a manicured commercial where you can park next to your peg.
“River fishing’s popularity is on the rise – our club is completely full, with a 300-angler waiting list – so we need to make our rivers accessible to all. By building more platforms you get more bums on the bank so you can police a stretch more easily, as anglers can report anything dodgy.”
We need to make our rivers accessible to all
Mark Barrow ,underwater cameraman for Beneath British Waters
SPEND IT ON: Tackling the major polluters
“The key area to address is the amount of pollution that goes into our rivers, particularly sewage. I’ve been diving and filming in rivers for 30 years and in the past, I’d film shoals of grayling that were 300-strong. Nowadays in the same areas I find small pockets of 15 or so fish at best.
“I’m sure that all the pollution that enters our rivers is having a negative impact and there needs to be a combined effort between the EA, water companies and all other forces to tackle the problem. There are other issues, of course, but sorting the rivers themselves should be the primary objective.
“I’d like to add that the EA gets a lot of stick, but it does some fantastic work. Its people on the ground are just as frustrated and passionate about all this as we are. The problems may be at the top.”
Do the EA need to take a harder stance on polluters?
Bryan Dray, Wellingborough & District Nene AC Youth Coach
SPEND IT ON: More coaching facilities for juniors and newcomers
“It should be spent on funding grassroots level coaching. We’ve seen a phenomenal number of juniors and newcomers get into fishing this year and we need to keep them interested in angling.
“We’ve got 300 juniors in our club, and our coaching sessions have been key in getting these guys interested. The problem is having the funds to keep it all going.
“It’s been so busy that I’ve pretty much had to give up my day job. We’re also in need of more tackle for the kids to use, as well as a van to transport it.
“If we can continue supporting young anglers and keep encouraging more to the sport, we’ll be able to keep fishing on a healthy grounding for generations to come.”
We’ve seen a phenomenal number of juniors and newcomers get into fishing this year and we need to keep them interested in angling
Kevin Clark, Founder of The Angling Initiative project
SPEND IT ON: Policing our waters better
“I’d love to see the extra money spent on better policing for our rivers. Take my local River Wye for example. It suffers badly from poaching, like many waterways, but it also suffers from other so-called water users doing what they like, with little fear of prosecution.
“In recent years the river has been plagued by high levels of phosphates entering the river from neighbouring farmlands, causing terrible algal blooms, which have a detrimental impact on the water quality.
“There’s also an issue with the amount of water from the river being used for irrigation purposes from various interests along the Wye valley, which the river can’t support. It’s caused some of the lowest water levels I’ve seen in decades, and the fishing has suffered as a result.
“The EA needs to contact the local farmers, make them aware of the problems being caused, and start to do something about it. I’m sure many other rivers are suffering a similar fate...”
May waterways suffer badly from poaching
Carp anglers unite against poaching
A GROUP of dedicated carp anglers have created a new body to help provide additional support to local enforcement authorities in the fight against fish theft and illegal angling in the UK.
Carpers Against Poaching (CAP) was launched after the country witnessed a substantial rise in angling-related crime at lakes, rivers and canals during lockdown.
The group’s founding member, Justin Mortlake, says:
“The lockdown was unfortunately a great window of opportunity for poachers, and in the carp angling fraternity alone there have been numerous cases of illegal fishing, so we decided to do something about it.
“Our group already has 250 members from all corners of the UK and our goal is to act as extra eyes and ears on the ground and gather intelligence to help pinpoint poaching hotspots and submit evidence to local police and the EA.”
Aside from providing evidence that will help prosecute repeat offenders, Justin’s ethos is to help educate those who are caught poaching.
“We fully appreciate that our Eastern European friends are getting a bad name on social media at present and realise that the majority are responsible anglers and members of the community,” he adds.
“It’s a minority who are ruining it for others so we’re working closely with the Polish Anglers Association to help communicate UK laws and our sporting tradition of catch and release.”
The new logo for Carpers Against Poaching
Long walk home for fish thieves
Two poachers caught red-handed stealing fish from a Shropshire club water ended up with a long walk home this week after their car was seized by police.
At Telford AA’s Dandy Pool in Dawley, club members noticed a trio of Eastern European anglers acting suspiciously.
“They were catching carp, killing them, and sending a young lad into the trees to hide them in a bin bag,” reveals club vice chairman Jon Portman.
“Our secretary arrived with a team of bailiffs, confronted the anglers, and found two double-figure carp in a bag, as well as duck eggs they’d stolen from nests.”
The two carp unfortunatley did not survive the poachers
Police and Environment Agency officers discovered that the offenders had driven all the way from Wolverhampton using just a provisional driving licence.
“Their car was towed away and their tackle confiscated. Evidence is now being compiled in order to take them to court. Despite this incident, we are not tarring all Eastern Europeans with the same brush and we have a good relationship with the foreign members of our club,” Jon adds.
The poachers ended up without their vehicle or fishing tackle.
Bailiffing for Free Fishing
Fisheries across the land were hit by a rise in poaching incidents during lockdown, but now an initiative aimed at combating this increased threat to valuable fish stocks has been created.
Named Local Anglers Against Poaching, the scheme is the brainchild of electrician Greg McNally, who hopes it will support the work the Environment Agency and the police are doing in tackling fish theft.
“The idea is to get anglers to do a short patrol at their local fishery, in exchange for a few hours’ free fishing,” Greg tells us.
“Having people on the bank would no doubt help to deter any offenders, and if we encountered any, we could report them to the police and the EA.”
Greg has now set up a Facebook page where anglers who want to volunteer can meet fishery owners looking for help. Visit the Local Anglers Against Poaching page on Facebook to register your interest.
Would you patrol your fishery for free fishing?