UK FISHING LICENSE
With so many lakes, rivers, and coastal locations, fishing is a tremendously popular sport in the UK, so it is not surprising that the industry generates an estimated £3 billion in revenue annually. A rod fishing license is required in the UK to fish for pleasure. They are easy to get and reasonably inexpensive. This article will go through the specifics of a rod fishing license, including how much they cost, how to apply, and the kinds of species and areas they cover.
A ROD FISHING LICENCE: WHAT IS IT?
A rod fishing license from the UK government is essentially a permission slip the size of your bank card that grants you the authorized use of a fishing rod or pole in British territorial waters. A unique license number is supplied in the confirmation email for short-term licenses. All across the world, fishing licenses are widely used, and the money from them is frequently used to restock popular fishing spots with fish as well as to fund habitat programs that guarantee that public fishing spots are cleaned up and free of trash and pollution.
DO I NEED A LICENSE FOR ROD FISHING?
You probably need to carry this license if angling is something you want to do. To fish for salmon, trout, freshwater fish, smelt, or eels in England (except from the River Tweed), Wales, or the Border Esk in the UK, you must have a current fishing license (and its tributaries in Scotland).
A great tip is to always keep your fishing license with you when you go fishing. Fishing without a valid rod licence is the most frequent angling offense in Britain, and it carries a maximum £2,500 fine as well as a criminal record.
HOW MUCH DOES A LICENSE FOR ROD FISHING COST?
The length of the license, the kind of fish you intend to target, and the number of rods you intend to use are three crucial factors that affect the license fee.
1. England and Wales fishing license
You must have a fishing license to fish in:
England (except from the River Tweed), Wales, and the Scottish Border Esk area
In addition, a separate fishing license is required to fish in the Thames River.
Annual fishing rod permits in England and Wales are now valid from 1 April to 31 March, however this might change in the near future.
Depending on the sort of fish you want to capture, there are two distinct types of licenses. What they cost is:
License for coarse fish and non-migratory trout, 1 year, £27 (GBP), 1 day, £3.75 (GBP) 8 days £10 (GBP)
supplementary +Salmon and sea trout license for one year for 72 (GBP), one day for 8 (GBP), and so on (GBP).
For seniors (over 65), disabled and juniors (12 to 16) there are reduced fares.
It is crucial to note that, unless you are in the Border Esk zone, you do not need a license to fish with a rod and line in Scotland. The private landowner or the angling club that regulates fishing in that region will need to grant you permission, as is the case with the majority of fishing locations in the UK.
HOW DO I GET A ROD FISHING LICENSE OR RENEW IT?
You have a few options on how to purchase or renew your rod fishing license. A 1-day, 8-day, or 12-month license may be purchased online. You will just require:
- a bank card or credit card
- Your Blue Card number or National Insurance number
- If you are buying for someone else, please provide their information, such as their birth date.
How can I get an UK fishing license?
You can do the following to obtain a fishing rod license:
- Either in person, over the phone, or online at the Post Office (0344 800 5386), or by an annual direct debit
- with the Environment Agency.
- fishing license obtained overseas
You can use the UK address where you will be staying for the online registration if you are purchasing a license from outside the country. The confirmation email can be used as evidence of purchase if you do not get the license in the mail in time for your visit. supplementary fishing license
To actually fish in a specific fishery, you frequently need an additional permit from a local authority, a landowner, or an angling club.
WHEN SHOULD I ANTICIPATE RECEIVING MY ROD LICENSE?
After paying for a long-term rod fishing license, a physical card will be mailed to you and should arrive within a few business days. An email or digital receipt with your license number will be sent to you once you order the license online. You only need to present this email and the number if you are requested for your license’s evidence of validity. A few differences exist when ordering a short-term license for a few days, such as the absence of a physical card.
Restricted locations
Despite not having a license, fishermen are nevertheless limited in where they may fish. Piers in the UK are all privately owned. While many piers require tickets and require anglers to fish just during certain hours, others forbid fishing at all. Similar to ports, breakwaters, and harbors, there are a few private beaches and marine protected zones where anglers are not allowed to fish, and councils are free to impose their own limitations. Anglers are always responsible for making sure they have permission to fish from a particular location.
English and Welsh regional fishing laws
Each area in England and Wales has its own set of local laws (byelaws). Each set of local ordinances also includes applicable federal laws. When using a rod and line to fish for freshwater in England and Wales, you must abide by both national and local bylaws. Fish found in freshwater include eels, coarse fish, salmon, and trout.
For privately owned bodies of water, such as fishing clubs’ lakes and private fishing lakes, there may be extra regulations to the bylaws. Anyone who violates these laws and regulations risks legal action and a fine of up to £50,000. (GBP).
To learn the following, read the municipal bylaws in your area:
the locations in your region where you are permitted to fish closed seasons (during which you are not permitted to fish), which may be dependent on certain species of fish and water
the type of equipment (rod and bait) you can use to catch particular species at particular periods of the year, as well as the maximum size of fish you can retain (or must release immediately)
English regional fishing laws
In several operational regions in England, the Environment Agency is mandated to control the rod fishing byelaws (rules). The protection of fish populations and individual fish is the major goal of these fishing bylaws. There are modest variations in these regional fishing laws, such as those in the English area, the north-east region, or the south-east region.
In England and Wales, there are two types of fishing licenses available:
1. License for trout, coarse fish, and eel
You can catch every kind of freshwater fish and non-migratory trout with the trout, coarse fish, and eel license. You will need this kind of license to fish at the majority of the fishing spots mentioned on Looks Fishy.
2. Permit for salmon and sea trout
You can capture salmon, sea trout, non-migratory trout, and any freshwater fish with a salmon and sea trout license.
UK regional fishing regulations
Local fishing regulations must be followed when you are out on the bank around the UK. A variety of PDFs have been published by the Environment Agency to illustrate what laws or rules must be observed when fishing in different locations around the UK because some of these byelaws fluctuate from area to region. Check at the fishery when you get there since local waterways may have additional regulations.
The following links allow you to access the bylaws:
Environment Agency rod fishing byelaws: Anglian region
Environment Agency rod fishing byelaws: Severn and Trent catchments
Environment Agency rod fishing byelaws: North east region
Environment Agency rod fishing byelaws: North west region
Environment Agency rod fishing byelaws: South east region
Environment Agency rod fishing byelaws: South west region
Scotland’s fishing
There is no requirement for a license if you are using a rod and line to fish in Scotland. To fish, you must obtain permission from the angling club or the property owner.
The Border Esk area is the only exception to this rule because the river runs into England and requires a license to fish on it or any of its tributaries.
Does Sea Fishing Require a Fishing License?
The quick answer to this is no—a license is not necessary to engage in sea fishing. Unfortunately, the situation is far more difficult in many regions. The license problem may get murky at certain inland fishing spots where freshwater and saltwater fishing overlap, which can lead to a lot of confusion among fishermen. Continue reading to learn more about the problems with sea angling and the license issue.
Sea fishing license
No license is required at all for anglers fishing from clear sea fishing spots such beaches, rocks, piers, and breakwaters (as long as they do not catch and keep certain species – see below). It is obvious that most sea fishermen can fish without having to bother about licenses in any way. The problem, though, gets trickier the farther you get from the ocean. If an angler is utilizing sea fishing equipment to pursue sea fish species in tidal waters, they do not require a license to fish inland up rivers (i.e. there is movement of water level with the incoming and outgoing tide).
Punishment without fishing license
Anglers fishing without a license run the danger of receiving a £2500 punishment, even if they claim to be employing sea fishing techniques or gear to catch saltwater species on fishing grounds farther inland and outside of tidal seas. The situation can get very complicated in areas where freshwater anglers are using freshwater species as their primary targets alongside anglers using sea fishing gear to catch sea fish species. Sometimes there are signs stating that anglers fishing in a particular area need licenses, but this is not always the case. Before going fishing, anglers who are unclear of whether they need a license to fish in a specific location should receive information from the authorities (ask the local Inshore Fisheries and Conservation Authorities).
Restricted locations for sea fishing
Despite not having a license, fishermen are nevertheless limited in where they may fish. Piers in the UK are all privately owned. While many piers require tickets and require anglers to fish just during certain hours, others forbid fishing at all. Similar to ports, breakwaters, and harbors, there are a few private beaches and marine protected zones where anglers are not allowed to fish, and councils are free to impose their own limitations. Anglers are always responsible for making sure they have permission to fish from a particular location.