A fishing license (American English), fishing licence (British English), or fishing permit is an administrative or legal mechanism employed by state government and to regulate fishing activities within their administrative areas. Licensing is one type of fisheries management commonly used in Western countries, and may be required for either commercial or recreational fishing.
Historical licensing
In 1765, the Chinese
Qing dynasty government required all fishing boat operators to obtain a fishing license under the
aojia system that regulated coastal populations. The
Tanka people boat people of
Guangdong had to acquire a fishing license as early as 1729. The wooden license issued by the government was to be displayed on the bow or stern of a boat. The information on the license consisted of the name and age of the boat's owner, the ship's status as either a fishing or commercial vessel, the home port of the boat, crew and family members on board, the date the license was issued, and the registration number of the license.
Types by country
Depending on the jurisdiction, licenses or permits may be required by a government, a property owner, or both.
United Kingdom
The government requires a
fishing rod licence for anyone over the age of 12 who fishes in
England,
Wales or the Border Esk area in
Scotland for
salmon,
trout, freshwater fish, smelt or
.
In addition, anyone who fishes in a non-
estuarine stream,
lake, or
canal needs a permit from the owner of the fishing rights to the water body, which might be a local
angling club, a landowner with
, or an organization such as the Canal & River Trust.
Ireland
In Ireland, rights to fish in non-tidal freshwater also are owned either by the government or by private entities such as angling club. The ownership of fishing rights in Ireland derives from the confiscation of lands by the
British Crown in the 17th century; the boundaries of fishing rights areas typically follow the boundaries of estates granted by the Crown.
United States
The U.S. state of
Oregon instituted a requirement for commercial fishing licenses in 1899, the same year that the state's
sturgeon fishery had collapsed due to over-harvesting. Oregon began requiring recreational fishing licenses in 1901.
began issuing
in 1901 and added fishing privileges to its hunting license in 1913.
The state of
Pennsylvania first issued recreational fishing licenses in 1919. Licenses were required only for nonresidents, and only 50 licenses were issued that first year. In 1922, when the state first required licenses for state residents, over 2,700 nonresident licenses and over 200,000 resident licenses were sold.
License-free fishing
Some countries do not require a license for recreational sea fishing, provided that certain rules in regard to fish size, numbers, and total catch are followed.
Belgium
Recreational fishing in the sea does not require a license in certain spots in
Belgium. Size limits need to be followed. Also need to have a freshwater permit when fishing on certain seadocks
Cyprus
Sea angling and spearfishing
free diving are allowed in
Cyprus without needing a licence. Multiple species including seals, dolphins and turtles are however protected.
Estonia
have a life-long right to fish with one simple
handlining in waters owned by the state and local governments, provided that regulations about species, sizes and seasons are followed.
New Zealand
No license is necessary for recreational sea fishing in
New Zealand. There are many detailed regulations about fish species, size limits, fishing methods and prohibited areas.
But when fishing inland in creeks, rivers or lakes a fishing licence is needed.
Norway
Sea fishing from the coast and from the boat is free for both residents and visitors in
Norway, although there are minimum fish rules and other regulations.
Sweden
For fishing in
Sweden public coastal waters (
Baltic Sea and the west coast), no license is necessary. Foreign citizens are also allowed to fish in these waters without a license, but only with handheld gear. License-free fishing is legal along the sea coast (in many cases also on private land along the coast) and in Sweden's five largest lakes – Vänern, Vättern, Hjälmaren, Mälaren and Storsjön.
In the rest of the country, fishing without a license is not permitted and several thousand fishing areas exist, each with their individual fishing permits and local regulations. Fishing permits are available in most of Sweden's fresh waters, but not all.
United Kingdom
Fishing licence for sea fishing is not required in most of the places in the
United Kingdom. For
salmon and
sea trout, game licence is required regardless of location.
In places where saltwater and freshwater cross over the regulations are complicated and licence may be required.
See also
