A fisherman from Staffordshire has been ordered to pay nearly £2,000 after launching into a foul-mouthed, half-hour rant at an Environment Agency officer who asked to see his rod licence.
Confrontation on the canal bank
The incident occurred on January 15 at the Trent & Mersey Canal in Stone. Jason Ball, 29, from Stone, was approached by a fisheries enforcement officer while in possession of a fishing rod. The officer requested to see his valid rod licence, a legal requirement for anyone fishing in England.
Ball, however, did not have one. Instead of complying, he became aggressive. The Environment Agency stated he refused to give his name and address and embarked on a prolonged outburst, shouting and swearing for around 30 minutes. Officials said he showed no regard for the alarm and distress his behaviour was causing to other members of the public nearby.
Court case and substantial penalty
The situation escalated to the point where Staffordshire Police were called to deal with the disturbance. It was only upon their arrival that Ball finally provided his details.
He was subsequently charged and appeared at North Staffordshire Justice Centre (Newcastle-under-Lyme Magistrates' Court) on December 1. Ball was found guilty of two offences: using threatening behaviour and possession of an unlicensed fishing rod.
The magistrates handed down a significant financial penalty:
- A fine of £660
- Costs of £1,070
- A victim surcharge of £264
A stark warning from enforcement officials
Following the hearing, Alex McWhirter, an Environment Agency Fisheries team leader, issued a clear warning to other anglers. “By law, you must buy a rod licence before you go fishing. Failure to do so could land you with a substantial fine and a criminal record,” he said.
He emphasised that abusive behaviour towards staff would not be tolerated: “We take cases of threatening and abusive behaviour very seriously, and will always prosecute anyone who behaves in this way.”
The agency highlighted that a one-day fishing licence can be purchased from just £7.30. All income from rod licences is reinvested into work to protect and improve fish stocks and fisheries, including through grant schemes for local projects.
Rod licences can be bought easily online via the official GOV.UK website. The public are encouraged to report any suspected illegal fishing activity to the Environment Agency’s 24-hour incident hotline on 0800 80 70 60.
