Four boat owners have been slapped with hefty fines after mooring up at east Cambridgeshire marinas in unregistered vessels.

Three were caught by the Environnement Agency at Riverside Island Marina in Isleham and another was caught at Upware Marina near Ely.

Vessel owners are legally required to register any vessel they keep, use or let for hire on Environment Agency waterways, and to clearly display a valid registration plate.

Not doing so can result in penalties including fines and a criminal record.

Three boat owners, who all reside on vessels moored at Riverside Island Marina on the River Lark, appeared at King’s Lynn Magistrates court on November 4 charged with not registering their vessels.

Kenneth Charlesworth and David Stone both pleaded guilty and were ordered to pay compensation of £703.53 each. Stone also has to pay costs of £125.

Ian McDonald was found guilty in his absence of mooring his unregistered vessel at Riverside Island Marina.

He was fined £440, ordered to pay compensation of £1,015.40, costs of £250, and £40 for victim surcharge.

At Peterborough Magistrates Court on November 18, a further boater, Alan Gamble, of Upware Marina, Old School Lane, Upware, was found guilty in his absence of the same offence.

He moored his unregistered vessel at Upware Marina on the River Cam; he was ordered to pay compensation of £703.53, costs of £250 and was fined £220.

Two further cases, which were due to take place at Kings Lynn Magistrates Court, have been adjourned until December 2 2020.

Ian Bliss, waterways team leader at the Environment Agency, said: “Our waterways are part of our nation’s rich heritage and beauty, and they contribute to our environment, our health and wellbeing, and our economy.

“But boaters who break the law by not registering their boats are putting the future of these historic and precious waterways at risk – so we won’t hesitate to take action against them.”

So far this year, the Environment Agency has recovered £8,077 in avoided registration charges for Anglian Waterways.

These funds are reinvested into maintaining, improving and protecting waterways.