ANGLERS are being reminded to buy a licence now the river fishing season is underway.

The season started on Friday and the Fisheries Directorate of the Department of Environment, Food and Agriculture said anglers risk heavy penalties if they are not in possession of a valid licence before they start fishing.

Last month a man was fined £150, together with costs of £125, for fishing without a licence in October 2010. He was also disqualified from holding a licence for 12 months and his fishing tackle was forfeited.

Juan Turner MLC, political member for fisheries, said: "Fisheries officers and river watchers from the department will be taking a proactive stance on licence checks and anyone caught fishing who doesn't hold a licence will be prosecuted.

"A season licence to fish in Manx rivers costs £57 and allows fishing from April 1 through to October 31, whilst day and week licences are also available until the end of September."

Licences can be bought from the department's HQ at St John's, from Post Offices and via the government's website www.gov.im

Meanwhile anglers fishing for sea trout in Manx rivers are being invited to contribute to the Celtic Sea Trout Project, an international investigation into the status of sea trout stocks in the Irish Sea, by collecting scales from all sea trout captured on rod and line during the 2011 season.

The target is for 300 samples from each of the Neb, Sulby and Douglas rivers.

Scales can easily be collected from all sizes of fish, and, if done carefully, the fish can be returned without harm to the river.

Full details of this project can be found on the Celtic Sea Trout website www.celticseatrout.com 

Fisheries staff can provide further advice on scale collection and free scale sample envelopes are available from the Fisheries Directorate at St John's, ring 01624 685857.