Do I need a licence to fish in Ireland?

While no licence is needed for trout, pike and coarse fishing in the Republic of Ireland, a rod licence is required in  Northern Ireland. In both Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland, licences are required for salmon and sea trout fishing.

Sea fishing for marine sport fish does not require a licence in either country.

In the Republic of Ireland State Salmon and Sea Trout Licences are available as a National licence or a District Licence. A National Licence covers all Fishery Board Districts while a District Licence covers only the Fishery District in which the licence is purchased. A list of fishing tackle shops where licences may be bought is available on this site. Alternatively you can buy a licence online. It should be noted that a licence does not confer the right to fish for salmon or sea trout and that permission or permits are required to fish most waters.

Anglers in the Shannon Region must have a Permit (ticket charge) to fish for trout, pike or coarse fish in the Midland Fisheries Group of controlled waters. This area comprises the following river catchments; RIVER SUCK, RIVER INNY, RIVER BROSNA, LITTLE BROSNA RIVER and CAMLIN RIVER. This permit can be bought online. This permit is not required to fish the main River Shannon or other fisheries whose fishing rights are NOT under the control of the Inland Fisheries Ireland.

For up-to-date information on all licence and permit regulations in Northern Ireland visit the Northern Ireland Tourist Board website.

Republic of Ireland Angling Regulations

GENERAL FRESHWATER

• The only legal method to catch freshwater fish is by rod and line (Control of Fishing for Coarse Fish in Fresh Water Bye-law No. 595, 1977.).
• A person may fish with not more than two rods at any time (Control of Fishing for Coarse Fish in Fresh Water Bye-law No. 595, 1977.).
• It is illegal to have or to use live fish as bait (Use of Live Fish as Bait in Fresh Water Bye-law No. 592, 1977).
• It is illegal to transfer live roach from one water to any other waters (Transfer of Live Roach, Bye-Law No. 561, 1973).

Foul Hooking

This bye-law prohibits the killing and possession of foul hooked fish (i.e fish not hooked in the mouth) in any fishery district in any year.

SALMON and SEA TROUT

A State Licence is required to fish for salmon and sea trout, but does not entitle you to fish. Permits or permission from fisheries owners must be obtained.

General salmon angling regulations

• A State Licence is required to fish for salmon and sea trout
• All salmon (and sea trout over 40cm) kept must be tagged, and the logbook filled out accordingly.
• It is prohibited to keep or kill any sea trout in Connemara or the Ballinakill district.
• It is prohibited sell rod caught salmon or sea trout over 40cm between January 1st and October 31st

Bag Limits

The existing annual bag limit of 10 fish being either salmon or sea trout (over 40 cm) per angler for the 2008 season continues in rivers above their Conservation Limits. This Bye-Law provides for

• a season bag limit of 3 fish in the period 1 Jan to 11 May,
• a daily bag limit of 3 fish from 12 May to 31 August
• and a daily bag limit of 1 fish from 1 September to the end of the season.
• anglers fishing with a one day licence have a bag limit of one fish (only one tag is issued)
• The Bye-law also provides for the use of single hooks and prohibits the use of worms as bait once the specified number of fish have been caught in the specified periods

Open Rivers, Closed Rivers, Catch and Release Rivers, Tagging Scheme, more information

Salmon fishing opens on January 1 on a handful of rivers and after that the remainder of rivers open on various dates in February, March, April and May. The majority of rivers close on September 30th but some rivers remain open for sea trout fishing to October 12.

Please follow this link for Salmon Angling Regulations 2011.

Coarse Fish

CONSERVATION OF AND PROHIBITION ON SALE OF COARSE FISH BYE-LAW NO. 806, 2006 provides for the following conservation measures:

• A person shall not take and kill by any means more than 4 coarse fish on any one day.
• A person shall not take and kill by any means any coarse fish greater than 25 cm in length measured in a straight line from the tip of the snout to the fork of the tail.
• Any coarse fish taken inadvertently in contravention of this Bye-law must be handled carefully and returned without avoidable injury to the waters from which they have been taken
• It is prohibited for any person, other than in the Louth Area or Moville Area, to sell or offer for sale any coarse fish caught by any means.
• “Louth Area” has the meaning assigned to it by section 31 of the British –Irish Agreement Act 1999 (No.1 of 1999);
• “Moville Area” has the meaning assigned to it by section 2 of the Foyle Fisheries Act 1952 (No.5 of 1952).
• It is prohibited to use or attempt to use live fish as bait in fishing in fresh water.
• It is prohibited to transfer for any purpose live roach (Rutilus rutilus) from any waters to any other waters.
• It is prohibited to fish for pike or coarse fish by any means whatsoever other than by rod and line.
• A person may not attempt to fish for pike or coarse fish in freshwater with more than two (2) rods at any one time.

LOUGH RAMOR CONSERVATION OF COARSE FISH (CATCH AND RELEASE) BYE-LAW NO. 862, 2009: This Bye-law provides for catch and release in respect of coarse fish in the harbour area of Lough Ramor. The Byelaw also prohibits the possession of any coarse fish or keep net in, or on the banks of, the harbour area and provides for the use of single barbless hooks only in angling for coarse fish.

Importation of Bait

• To minimise the risk of accidental transmission of Foot and Mouth Disease and other infectious diseases, visitors are advised to use local sources in Ireland.
• If you must bring worms or maggots ensure they are not packed in soil or vegetable material, the importation of which is strictly prohibited by law.

Eels

Eel fishing is closed until 2012. The prospect of re-opening the eel fishery will be considered at that time, following a review of the data collated as a result of scientific sampling provided for in the draft plan.

• Bye-law No C.S. 303, 2009 prohibits fishing for eel, or possessing or selling eel caught in a Fishery District in the State until June 2012.
• Bye-Law No 858, 2009 prohibits the issue of eel fishing licences in any Fishery District.

PIKE

The CONSERVATION OF PIKE BYE-LAW NO. 809, 2006 provides for the following conservation measures:

• It is prohibited to kill more than 1 pike in any one day,
• It is prohibited to kill any pike greater than 50 cm in length,
• It is prohibited for any person to have in their possession more than 1 whole pike less than 50 cm or more than 0.75 kgs of pike flesh.
• (i) It is prohibited for a person to have in his or her possession more than 12 coarse fish for use as bait in fishing for pike
• Where a person has more than 4 coarse fish in his or her possession for use as bait in fishing for pike, the person, in respect of fish in excess of that number and subject to the paragraph (i) above must have –
  • (a) Obtained the fish from a fish tackle dealer or fish bait supplier registered with the Regional Board in whose fisheries Region the dealer or supplier carries on business,
    And
  • (b) Obtained and retained a receipt of their purchase.

Please Note

• Folgende Gesetze wurden zum Schutz unserer Hecht und Weißfisch-Bestände erlassen.
  • Gesetz zum Fang und Schutz von Aalen [.pdf, 10KB]
• Les lois suivantes ont été adoptées afin de conserver nos stocks de brochets et poissons communs.
  • ARRÊTÉ CONCERNANT LA RÈGLEMENTATION DE LA PÊCHE À L'ANGUILLE [.pdf, 10KB]
• A következo törvényeket terjesztették elo a csukánk és édesvízi halunk készleteihez való megorzéséhez. [.doc, 100KB]
  • AZ ANGOLNA HALÁSZATÁRÓL / HORGÁSZATÁRÓL SZÓLÓ [.pdf, 10KB]
• Niniejsze przepisy zostaly ustalone w celu ochrony naszych szczupaków i ryb slodkowodnych. [.doc, 100KB]
  • ROZPORZĄDZENIE DOTYCZĄCE POŁOWU I OCHRONY WĘGORZA [.pdf, 10KB]
• Следующие законы были изданы для охраны запасов щуки и пресноводной рыбы. [.doc, 100KB]
  • ПОДЗАКОННЫЙ ПРАВОВОЙ АКТ «О ЗАЩИТЕ УГРЕЙ ПРИ РЫБНОЙ ЛОВЛЕ» [.pdf, 10KB]
• Lai aizsargatu musu lidaku un saldudens zivju krajumus, ir ieviesti sekojoši normativie akti. [.doc, 100KB]
  • ZUŠU AIZSARDZĪBAS NOTEIKUMI [.pdf, 10KB]
• Siekiant išsaugoti lydeku ir versliniu žuvu atsargas buvo priimti žemiau išvardinti istatymai. [.doc, 100KB]
  • UNGURIŲ ŽVEJYBOS APRIBOJIMO ĮSTATYMAS [.pdf, 10KB]

SEA ANGLING

BASS

The Bass (Conservation of Stocks)Order, 1990

Minimum overall size limit of 40cm from tip of snout to end of tail. Commercial fishing for bass is prohibited, the taking of bass using nets is prohibited, and Irish fishing boats must not have bass on board or engage in transhipment of bass.

Bass Fishing Conservation S.I. NO. 826 OF 2007

The effect of this Bye-law is to impose a bag limit on anglers of two bass in any one period of 24 hours and to provide for a ban on angling for bass during the spawning season (15th May to the 15th June).

Bass (Restriction on Sale) Order S.I. No. 367 of 2007

The effect of this Order is to prohibit the sale or offer for sale of bass (other than bass which has been imported into the State) from 1st day of July to 30th day of June.

Note: Penalties for breach of the above laws include confiscation of tackle and heavy fines.

BROWN TROUT

Most brown trout fisheries open between February 15th and March 1st. Most close on September 30th with some exceptions which close on various dates between September 15th and October 12th. Clubs may have their own regulations on opening and closing dates.

FLY ONLY BYE LAWS AND SIMILAR REGULATIONS

On some waters fly only regulations or other method restrictions may be in place. Please check with the fishery owner or local IFI office for further information.

On the spot fines

An on the spot fine of €150 can be issued for a range of fisheries offences eg fishing in a closed season, taking fish smaller than allowed for in a bye-law, taking more fish than a bag limit allows etc.

Full details are available here: S.I. No. 81 of 2011 INLAND FISHERIES (FIXED CHARGE NOTICE) REGULATIONS 2011. [.pdf,