how to spot illegal netting

How would one tell if illegal netting was going on??? maybe i'm a bit too innocent but i don't know how to spot it. Only asking as I was at a spot yesterday i usually go to and noticed 2 drums in the water that were never there before. Thought it may be local fishermen but not too sure on how to tell that either.

Doubt the drums are used with a net as it would drag it out of position .. A net will have little floats dotted along the surface with a heavy line floating across between the floats these will usually be sprayed black to conceal them and the rope will usually be tied to a point on the bank or to a larger bouy. In a river you wont see it or if you do steer clear as they are never left to soak unattended and interference could lead to you getting hurt by the owner .Best thing is to call your local fisheries protection agency etc

Dont forget the sunken nets that have no visible floats on the surface,a prefered tactic down in east cork.Along with tangle nets which imo are the worst of all as they do untole damage to all sea life.

Doubt the drums are used with a net as it would drag it out of position .. A net will have little floats dotted along the surface with a heavy line floating across between the floats these will usually be sprayed black to conceal them and the rope will usually be tied to a point on the bank or to a larger bouy. In a river you wont see it or if you do steer clear as they are never left to soak unattended and interference could lead to you getting hurt by the owner .Best thing is to call your local fisheries protection agency etc

I seen 3 huge nests washed up on a beach in wexford that had big water drums attached to each end... It had been stormy out.

To be honest, there is no one thing that will give away illegal nets. different people have different ways of concealing them. The best advice I can give you is to report anything you think may be illegal nets and let the I.F.I. check them out.