THE owner of a trout fishery in Tavistock has been ordered to pay £3,471 in fines and costs by Plymouth Magistrates Court, for taking too much water from the River Tavy.
The court heard that Abigail Underhill, of Rowden Farm, Mary Tavy, had been extracting up to 57% more water from the Tavy than the quantity permitted by her abstraction licence.
The Environment Agency?s Judith Constable told the court the offence was discovered during a routine inspection at the fish farm in May last year.
Miss Constable said when questioned by agency officers, Ms Underhill was unable to produce records of abstraction rates, nor could she demonstrate any means from measuring the quantity of water used at the farm.
Miss Constable told the court that the Tavy was a sensitive area and care was needed to ensure sufficient water remained in the river to enable returning salmon to reach their spawning grounds.
Tim Hayden, defending, said Ms Underhill understood the environmental needs of the river.
She had now applied for a licence to extract water at a level which would not be harmful but would also be suitable for the needs of the farm.
Ms Underhill pleaded guilty to breaching conditions of her abstraction licence and failing to keep records, during the hearing last Thursday.
She was fined £750 for each offence and ordered to pay £1,971 in costs.