STEPS need to be taken to stamp out a "barbaric" fishing practice, says a Maidstone borough councillor.

Live baiting, where an angler hooks a smaller fish through the eye socket to use as live bait for a bigger fish, is banned in most lakes and rivers across Maidstone.

But Cllr Tony Harwood (Lib Dem), who represents North ward, said he was recently shocked to witness an angler live baiting to catch a pike.

He said: "It is a fairly barbaric way of fishing. A lot of fishermen abhore the practice basically and it is banned on most private fishing lakes. But it seems to be really taking off in the rivers at Maidstone and we need to step up enforcement."

Cllr Harwood is pushing for more and clearer signs to be displayed in areas, including the Mote Park lake in Maidstone, to ensure all those fishing there are aware that live baiting is not permitted.

And he wants to see more enforcement of the rules, with bailiffs stepping up their checks on anglers.

"The activity is already banned but is certainly occurring," he said. "The kind of hooks they use are barbed treble hooks which damages the fish's bodies and will kill them slowly. They will thrash in agony, which attracts a pike, which will also die from the wounds inflicted by the treble hook. It is a very nasty approach."

Maidstone council's byelaw for parks and open spaces, including Mote Park, Maidstone, states that no person shall intentionally kill, injure, take or disturb any animal or fish or engage in hunting, shooting or fishing, or the setting of traps or the laying of snares.

The council also permits fishing under the control of the Maidstone Victory Angling Club and Medway Preservation Society, and states that the use of live fish as bait is not permitted.

Barry Hayman, of the Maidstone Victory Angling and Medway Preservation Society, said the society would welcome any extra signing to remind anglers of the rules.

"The vast majority of normal anglers don't like live baiting," he said. "It isn't a nice thing to do to a fish.

"We have been expecting it to be banned nationally for some time, but it hasn't happened. We are definitely 100 per cent against the use of live baiting and we only permit dead sea bait."

Mr Hayman said that if an angler fishing in the society's waters, which include Mote Park in Maidstone; stretches of the River Medway and River Beult; Aldington Lake and Spider Hill Lakes at Larkfield, was found to be using live bait, he or she would be told by bailiffs to leave and would not be accepted as members any longer.

He added that although there were already signs up to tell anglers of the rules, they were occasionally vandalised.

A reminder to members on the use of live bait has also been included in the society's most recent newsletter.