Useful Facts to Know Before You Start to Fish in the UK - Rod Licenses

 

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Fishing seasons and terms and conditions for fishing vary significantly throughout the UK and it is very important that you check things out before you set off for your fishing trip.

 

For information about tide times in the UK log on to http://easytide.ukho.gov.uk/EasyTide/EasyTide/SelectPort.aspx

 

Rod Licenses  

 

Please note that where a rod license is required the license does not grant you the right to fish in any given location, you still have to buy a permit from the fishery owners. Rod licenses are required for fishing in England, Wales, Northern Ireland and Southern Ireland. You do not need a license for sea fishing.

 

Scotland | England and Wales | Northern Ireland |  Republic of Ireland

 

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Moving to England in 1998 I knew I needed a rod license and like a good boy I bought one in June, stuffing it into my wallet unread. On the first of April 1999, at Dever Springs in Hampshire, I discovered the importance of the reading terms and conditions. I was approached by a decent enough kinda chap who enquired how the fishing was doing. After some pleasantries he produced an identity card and asked to see my Rod License, which I produced. He was apologetic and pointed out that the license had expired on the 31st of March. He then cautioned me – the Full Monty – ‘anything you say blah,blah, taken down, blah, evidence, blah used against you in a court of law’. My jaw dropped, 'but I just bought it last June'. I felt like a criminal.

 

OK so he had caught me, scared the living sugar out of me, now I expected a ticking off and a ‘well if you pop down to the local post office and get a License we will let you off this time, after all its less than 24 hours out of date’. Did he Nelly, a few months later I was fined the cost of a license, £16 if my memory serves me right.

 

I still get a cringe at the thought of being cautioned. You might have guessed that I am Scottish and in Scotland we do not have rod licenses. While I had complied with buying a License I hadn’t read the small print which states that a License is valid for a fixed period 1st April to 31st March. I was undoubtedly an April Fool.

 

My misfortune in England serves as a good reason to take advice about permits and licenses when you go fishing anywhere in the world.

 

Scotland            

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A rod license is not required in Scotland (except for the Border Esk and its tributaries including those sections in Scotland which requires an environment agency Rod License) only permission to fish is required.

 

The Tweed.

 

The Tweed straddles the border between Scotland and England but it and it's tributaries on both sides of the border are exempt from the requirement to have a Rod license.

 

River Boards or Trusts.

 

In Scotland entire river systems come under the control of a Board or Trust which manages some aspects of the fishery (policing, hatcheries, issuing local bye laws and guideline. 

 

Many River Boards employ full time bailiffs in addition to those employed by beats and fisheries and these bailiffs have legal powers to have you charged with offences such as poaching, fishing without a permit, taking fish by illegal means or methods, taking kelts or unseasonable fish. Fines can be quite high for serious offences and can include confiscation of gear as many poachers have found to their cost.

 

Protection Orders

 

Until 1976 when the Salmon and Freshwater Fisheries Act was introduced it was generally the case that you could fish for wild brown trout for free in any river or loch in Scotland with the exception of man made fisheries (designated as stanks) that had been stocked and in some cases, rivers that had been stocked. The new law allowed for protection orders to be applied for by river systems e.g. the entire river Tay and its tributaries and associated lochs could be covered by one protection order making it illegal to fish without a permit anywhere on the entire system.

 

This law has proved to be a double edged sword, on one hand it makes anglers pay for fishing that was once free, on the other hand it made riparian owners give access to waters at reasonable costs that they once excluded anglers from. As a consequence rivers like the Don were fully opened up to trout anglers for the first time.

 

The Act has been effective in general although it is uncertain to me at least how some rivers systems manage to enjoy the protection of the Orders and still effectively exclude trout anglers. On the Spey below Aviemore you will not get a trout fishing ticket anywhere even on an angling club water. If you want to fish for trout you must buy a salmon fishing permit which will set you back anything from £40 a day to hundreds of pounds, now I do not consider this to be reasonable. Such charges are, in my view, cynically designed to exclude trout anglers, leaving the rivers sparsely populated by salmon anglers. Such a pity because there are some fantastic trout on the Spey and the Deveron (where again you will not get a trout permit). Its about time this issue was addressed, lets face it if you can fish the Tay for trout for just a few quid why can't you fish the Spey on the same basis?  

 

England and Wales           

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A rod license is required to fish for any freshwater fish in England and Wales and for the Border Esk (but excluding Tweed, most of which is in Scotland). Licenses can be bought for one year for the period 1st April to 31st March, for 8 days and 1 day and cost: 

              

  Non migratory trout and course fish  Salmon & sea trout full season               
Full season (expires 31st march £25 £68
Junior £5 £5
   8 Days                                   £9 £22
1 Day £3.50 £7.50

                   

Don't event think about fishing without a license, if you are caught the fines can be quite severe. The money raised through the licensing system goes toward improving the fishing habits so it is money well spent. There are also concessions for Blue Badge Holders, persons in receipt of Disability Living Allowance and for person over 65 years of age. You can get a license at any Post Office in England or Wales or buy on line from the Environment Agency at www.environment-agency.gov.uk

 

Northern Ireland            

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Please note that like in England you are required to hold a license to fish in Ulster. Licenses are issued by the Department of Culture and Leisure (DCAL) and cost £16 per season; £8 for 14 days, £3.50 for 3 day, juvenile (under 19) license is £2.

 

In addition you may be required to hold an additional license in areas covered by the Fisheries and Conservation Board (FCB) and The Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission. You can buy an FCB or FCILC license or buy a combined DCAL , FCB, FCILC license. Bit confusing I know. Please note that the license is for use of one rod only.

 

The Department of Leisure and Culture (DCAL) controls fishing on many waters in Northern Ireland, Public Angling Estate, issuing serious value for money permits at £62 per season and £15 for 14 days for game fishing and £23 per season for course fishing (2 rods). To see the waters DCAL permit gives access to log on to www.dcal-fishingni.gov

 

Fisheries Conservation Board License

 

Licenses cost £16.50 for a season game license, £8.50 for a 14 day license £3.50 for a 3 day license and £16.50 for a season course fishing license. There are several concessions available. Go to www.fcbni.com for full details

 

Foyle and Carlingford System

 

You will need a Lough Agency of the Foyle and Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission licence to fish on the Foyle system, call 02871 342100 for details.

 

Republic of Ireland            

 

The Central Fisheries Board has taken action to promote a recovery of stocks of fish in Ireland and as a result has introduced measures to control the number of salmon and sea trout killed by anglers, including completely banning salmon angling on over 100 rivers. For more information Click Strict Controls on Salmon and Sea Trout Fishing In Ireland See 106 Rivers Closed to go to the article which lists the new regulations and rivers that can be fished for salmon.

You do not need a license to fish for course fish or trout in Ireland however you do need a license to fish for salmon and sea trout. Prices vary from 134 euros for the year to 50 euros for 21 days and 36 euros for 1 day for a combined salmon and trout license.

 

I hope you find the information above useful when planning a fishing trip and please do not hesitate to contact me with any corrections or additions.

 

 

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