Fish poachers are being targeted by police rural crime teams.

Anglers are being spot checked by the Wiltshire rural crime officers along with Ministry of Defence police.

They have been on joint foot patrols in the area of Figheldean and Netheravon after it has been targeted for fish poaching in recent days.

A number of club members had rod licences and membership cards checked.

"If you are fishing you should have on your person your rod licence and if you are a member of a club then your membership card too," said the crime team.

"If you choose to fish illegally on a private stretch of river you are committing offences under the Theft Act.

"We will continue to patrol these areas at random times during the next few weeks."

Wiltshire Police is believed to be the first force in the country to designate their Police Community Support Officers (PCSOs) with the power to request a rod licence from people who are fishing.

A number of them are already trained as Wildlife Crime Officers, working closely with the Rural Crime Team.

Chief Constable Kier Pritchard stated: “Within Wiltshire, our Rural Crime Team is one of the only teams nationally to submit ‘disruption reports’ relating to Organised Crime Gangs, recognising that offences such as hare coursing and poaching are often entwined with their other criminal behaviours. I am immensely proud of the targeted work they are undertaking and the outcomes that they are achieving.”

“Legislation changes over the last few years have enabled Chief Constables to be more creative with the ‘policing powers’ that they can designate to their Police Staff working in roles such as a PCSO.

"This allows us to better respond to new or emerging threats to society. I am pleased that this power, which is normally only something that Police Officers can do, can now also be granted to PCSOs.”

“Rather than just accompanying the water bailiffs on their patrols, this change in power will now allow our PCSOs to actively work alongside them to tackle illegal fishing activity.”

The Angling Trust welcome the news as a positive step towards seeing increasingly effective fisheries enforcement. Nevin Hunter, the Regional Enforcement Support Manager for the Angling Trust for South-West England said: “Members of the Voluntary Bailiff Service have an excellent working relationship with the Wiltshire Police Officers and PCSOs.”

“Working together on joint patrols and other initiatives has offered real reassurance to those who fish legally across the county. This extended power will build upon this and further reduce the incidence of anglers fishing illegally.

"We commend Wiltshire Police for this action that will positively impact on all who fish legally across the county and we would love to see this happening across England”.