EIGHT men have appeared in court charged with a string of offences in relation to fish and salmon poaching on the River Teifi over almost two decades.

Emlyn James Rees, of 5 Dan y Griag, Cenarth, Newcastle Emlyn; Ashley Lloyd Davies, of 5 Penwaun Villa, Cardigan; Colin Stephen Gentle, of Nantperchellan Farm, Broyan Road, Penbryn, Cardigan; Andrew Lewer, of 13 Williams Street, Cardigan; Nathan Pearson, of 27 Leonard Street, Cob Lane, Kelbrook, Barnoldswick, Yorkshire; Matthew Phillips, of 23 Maes Henffordd, Cardigan; Carl Rago, of 1 Penffynon, Cilgerran; Dafydd Wyn Rees, of 6 Williams Terrace, Cardigan; and Dafydd Wyn Rees, of 6 Williams Terrace, Cardigan, all appeared before Aberystwyth magistrates on Monday, 21 February.

Emlyn Rees, 35, Davies, 37, Gentle, 56, Lewer, 33, Pearson, 25, Phillips, 35, Rago, 25, and 34-year-old Dafydd Rees, are accused of a range of offences of being involved with the poaching of fish or receiving of poached fish from the river Teifi in Ceredigion from between January 2001 and December 2020.

The charges were brought following a long-term investigation by Natural Resources Wales.

Davies, Gentle, Lewer, Pearson, Phillips, and Rago are all charged with being concerned with Emlyn James Rees by receiving fish or assisting in their removal.

Phillips, Rago and Dafydd Rees are also charged with multiple counts of unauthorised taking of fish by fishing or illegally-set net between 2005 and 2016.

Emlyn James Rees faces 11 charges including unauthorised taking of fish from the river Teifi on numerous occasions, and receiving poached fish “on at least 373 occasions” between 2001 and 2020.

No pleas were entered at the hearing by any of the eight defendants and all eight were remanded on unconditional bail until the next hearing date, scheduled to be 4 April at Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court.