Fishing regulations in Austria

Frequently asked questions

How do I get a fishing licence in Austria?

In Austria you need two things: an official state document (an annual Fischerkarte, or a guest card for visitors) and a written permit (Lizenz) from whoever holds the fishing rights on that water. Each of the nine states sets its own rules, and the annual card normally requires an exam or course.

Fishing law in Austria is made by the nine federal states, so the process depends on where you fish. Residents obtain an annual card after proving competence: an exam in Burgenland, Salzburg, Styria, Tyrol, Vienna and Upper Austria, a course with a test in Lower Austria, or at least eight hours of instruction in Carinthia. The card is issued by the district authority or by the state fishing association (for example the Upper Austria and Lower Austria associations, or the Vienna Fisheries Committee). Visitors without an Austrian exam can usually fish with a guest card: in Carinthia, Salzburg, Vienna, Styria and Lower Austria it is issued through the fishery owner, in Vorarlberg the fishery manager may issue a permit for up to two weeks without proof of competence, while Tyrol and Burgenland only give guest cards to people with a recognised qualification such as a foreign licence based on an exam. In every state you then buy the Lizenz (day, week or year permit) for the specific river or lake; its price is set by the owner. Rules are for 2026 and are printed on the permit; check them before fishing.

Official sources : Burgenland – Fischereikartenabgabe 2026 (RIS) ; Carinthia – Jahresfischerkarte and levy 2026 (RIS) ; Carinthia – Fischergastkarte and levy 2026 (RIS) ; Lower Austria Fishing Association – licence levy and membership fee ; Lower Austria Fishing Association – Fischergastkarte ; Upper Austria Fishing Association – what do I need to fish? ; Salzburg Fishing Association – Jahresfischerkarte ; Salzburg Fishing Association – guest fishing card ; Styria Fishing Act – Fischerkarte and Fischergastkarte (RIS) ; Tyrol Fishing Association – Tiroler Fischerkarte ; Tyrol Fishing Association – Gastfischerkarte ; Vorarlberg Fishing Act – permit from the fishery manager (RIS) ; Vienna Fisheries Committee – no fishing card yet?

What fish can you catch in Austria?

Austrian state rules protect trout, grayling, huchen (Danube salmon), lake trout, Arctic char, whitefish, pike, zander, wels catfish, carp, tench, barbel, nase and burbot, among others. Introduced rainbow trout and brook trout are also widely caught. Which species live in a given water depends on the region.

The closed-season and minimum-size annexes of the nine state fishing laws give an official picture of Austria's angling species. Salmonids: brown trout, lake trout, grayling, huchen (Hucho hucho), Arctic char (Seesaibling), and whitefish (Reinanke, Maräne, Felchen), plus introduced rainbow trout and brook trout. Predators: pike, zander, Volga zander (Burgenland, Lower Austria, Upper Austria, Vienna), perch, asp and wels catfish; Carinthia even lists largemouth bass. Coarse fish: carp, tench, bream, barbel, nase, chub and ide; burbot (Aalrutte) and sterlet in Danube states, and eel in Vorarlberg. Noble crayfish is also regulated. Mountain lakes and rivers of Tyrol, Salzburg and Vorarlberg are dominated by salmonids, while the Danube basin and eastern lakes hold most predators and coarse fish. Each permit (Lizenz) states which species may be kept.

Official sources : Carinthia – closed seasons and minimum sizes (RIS) ; Burgenland – closed seasons and minimum sizes (RIS) ; Salzburg Fishing Association – closed seasons and minimum sizes ; Tyrol – closed seasons and minimum sizes (annex, RIS) ; Vorarlberg – fishing regulation annex (RIS) ; Vienna fishing regulation (RIS)

Where is the best fishing in Austria?

There is no official ranking. Austria's classic fishing is for trout and grayling in alpine rivers, lake trout, char and whitefish in the big lakes, and pike, zander and catfish in lowland waters such as Lake Neusiedl and the Danube area. Each water needs a Lizenz plus a state or guest card.

Austrian authorities do not rank waters, so 'best' depends on the fish you want. The state regulations themselves show the variety: alpine states such as Tyrol, Salzburg and Carinthia protect brown trout, grayling, lake trout, Arctic char (Seesaibling) and whitefish (Reinanke) with closed seasons and minimum sizes, and several states also protect the huchen (Danube salmon). Lowland states such as Burgenland, Lower Austria and Vienna list pike, zander, Volga zander, wels catfish, carp and asp. Specific lakes have their own rules, for instance Carinthia sets a 70 cm minimum size for pike in the Ossiacher See instead of the general 55 cm, and Lake Neusiedl has its own closed seasons. For trips, pick the region for your target species and contact the state fishing association or local tourist office, which sell or list day permits (Lizenzen). Remember that a guest card or annual card is needed as well.

Official sources : Carinthia – closed seasons and minimum sizes (RIS) ; Burgenland – closed seasons and minimum sizes (RIS) ; Salzburg Fishing Association – closed seasons and minimum sizes ; Tyrol – closed seasons and minimum sizes (annex, RIS) ; Tyrol Fishing Association – Tiroler Fischerkarte

How much is a fishing licence in Austria?

It depends on the state. The annual state levy in 2026 ranges from €20 (Vienna) to €66 (Tyrol card renewal), and a first Salzburg card costs €121. On top of that you always pay for a Lizenz from the water's owner, whose price is set freely.

An Austrian fishing trip has up to three costs. First, the official card or levy for 2026: Burgenland €25.30 per year (€50.70 for three years), Carinthia €43, Lower Austria €33.80 (levy €25.10 plus association fee €8.70), Upper Austria €32, Styria €29, Tyrol €66 for the Tiroler Fischerkarte renewal, Vienna €20; in Salzburg a first annual card costs €121 including state and federal fees and the €33 fishing levy. Second, proving competence: an exam or course, for example a €70 course fee in Lower Austria under its 2024 course regulation. Third, the Lizenz for the river or lake, priced by the fishery owner or club. Visitors can often use cheaper guest cards instead of the annual card: Carinthia's guest levy is €8, Salzburg's guest card €10 and Upper Austria's €20, while Tyrol's €25 guest card requires a recognised qualification. Amounts are those published for 2026 and some are indexed each year, so confirm with the state association before travelling.

Official sources : Burgenland – Fischereikartenabgabe 2026 (RIS) ; Carinthia – Jahresfischerkarte and levy 2026 (RIS) ; Carinthia – Fischergastkarte and levy 2026 (RIS) ; Lower Austria Fishing Association – licence levy and membership fee ; Lower Austria fishing course regulation 2024 ; Upper Austria Fishing Association – what do I need to fish? ; Salzburg Fishing Association – Jahresfischerkarte ; Salzburg Fishing Association – guest fishing card ; Styria Fishing Act – Fischerkarte and Fischergastkarte (RIS) ; Tyrol Fishing Association – Tiroler Fischerkarte ; Tyrol Fishing Association – Gastfischerkarte ; Vienna Fisheries Committee – no fishing card yet?

Where can you fish in Austria?

Almost every Austrian river and lake belongs to a fishing district (Revier), so you fish where the owner sells a Lizenz: clubs, fishery owners, tourist offices and online portals sell day, week or annual permits. You also need the state card or a guest card. There is no general free public fishing.

Fishing rights in Austria are private or held by clubs and are organised in Reviere. To fish a water you need the written permit (Lizenz or Erlaubnisschein) of the person entitled to fish it; in Tyrol, for example, day and annual permits exist and the number per Revier is capped by the authority. Permits are sold by clubs, owners, tourist offices and booking portals, and each permit states the species, baits, number of rods and times allowed. Large lakes have their own rules: Lake Neusiedl in Burgenland has specific closed seasons (pike closed from 1 February to 31 March), and the Austrian part of Lake Constance has a dedicated Lake Constance fishing regulation in Vorarlberg. Rod limits also vary: in Tyrol one rod on running water and up to three on lakes, in Vorarlberg one rod on rivers and two on still waters. Alongside the Lizenz you need the state fishing card or a guest card. The state fishing associations are the best starting point to find waters with permits available.

Official sources : Tyrol Fishing Association – Tiroler Fischerkarte ; Tyrol Fishing Act – Fanglizenz (RIS) ; Burgenland – closed seasons and minimum sizes (RIS) ; Vorarlberg Fishing Act – permit from the fishery manager (RIS) ; Upper Austria Fishing Association – what do I need to fish? ; Salzburg Fishing Association – Jahresfischerkarte

What fish are in Austrian lakes?

Austria's alpine lakes hold lake trout, Arctic char (Seesaibling), whitefish (Reinanke or Maräne), pike, perch and zander, and many also have carp, tench and bream. Some lakes have their own rules, such as a 70 cm pike minimum on Carinthia's Ossiacher See.

The state regulations list the lake species directly. Carinthia's closed-season rules cover lake trout, Arctic char, whitefish (Reinanke), pike, zander, perch, carp, tench and wels catfish, with a special 70 cm pike size for the Ossiacher See, Feldsee and Afritzer See instead of the general 55 cm. Salzburg's rules cover lake trout, Arctic char, whitefish, the lake bleak (Seelaube) and pike; Tyrol and Vorarlberg also protect lake trout, char and whitefish. Burgenland's rules, which include Lake Neusiedl with its own closed seasons, cover pike, zander, Volga zander, carp, tench and wels catfish. Lake Constance, shared with Germany and Switzerland, has a separate Lake Constance regulation in Vorarlberg. Which species are present and allowed to be kept varies lake by lake, so read the conditions printed on your permit (Lizenz).

Official sources : Carinthia – closed seasons and minimum sizes (RIS) ; Salzburg Fishing Association – closed seasons and minimum sizes ; Tyrol – closed seasons and minimum sizes (annex, RIS) ; Burgenland – closed seasons and minimum sizes (RIS) ; Vorarlberg Fishing Act – permit from the fishery manager (RIS)