Fishing regulations in Switzerland

Frequently asked questions

Do you need a fishing licence in Switzerland?

Yes, in most places. Fishing rights belong to the cantons, which sell day, week, month or annual permits. Permits of a month or more require the federal SaNa competence certificate; shorter permits do not. A few cantons allow limited free fishing, such as one float line from Lake Geneva's shore.

Swiss fishing is a cantonal right (régale): the Confederation sets minimum protection rules and the cantons issue permits and designate open waters. Under the federal fishing ordinance, anyone acquiring a fishing right must prove sufficient knowledge of fish and animal welfare (the SaNa certificate), but the animal protection ordinance exempts permits valid for less than a month. Examples for 2026: Geneva requires SaNa for annual permits but not for day permits (Lake Geneva float fishing CHF 10, rivers CHF 20); Vaud sells a river day permit for CHF 20 and an annual one for CHF 150; Valais asks CHF 25 for a day and CHF 196 a year for residents; Zurich sells day permits for CHF 30 and a lakes permit for CHF 160 a year; Bern's day permit costs CHF 32. Some cantons allow licence-free fishing under strict conditions, for example Geneva on the lake with a single fixed-float line, or Bern from the shore of Lakes Thun, Brienz and Biel with one rod and a barbless single hook. Fish kept must be killed immediately.

Official sources : Swiss Fishing Ordinance (OLFP/VBGF, SR 923.01), Fedlex ; Swiss Animal Protection Ordinance (OPAn/TSchV), Fedlex ; Anglers' training network – SaNa certificate Q&A ; Canton of Geneva – fishing licence categories and prices ; Canton of Geneva – fishing without a licence ; Canton of Vaud – fishing licence prices 2026 ; Canton of Valais – fishing decree (923.170) ; Canton of Zurich – fishing permit prices from 2026 ; Canton of Bern – fishing permits and prices ; Canton of Bern – fishing directorate ordinance (FiDV)

How do I get a fishing licence in Switzerland?

Buy a permit from the canton, or from the lake authority, where you want to fish: online, at the cantonal office or in approved shops. Day, week and month permits are sold without exams; annual permits require the federal SaNa certificate, earned through a short course.

Each canton sells its own fishing permits (patentes or Patente), often online or in approved tackle shops and tourist offices, and border lakes follow intercantonal or international agreements. For short stays you can buy a day, week or month permit without any qualification, because the federal animal protection ordinance exempts permits under a month from the competence requirement. For annual permits the federal fishing ordinance requires proof of knowledge: the SaNa certificate, obtained after a course organised by the national anglers' training network; some cantons, such as Bern, also accept an equivalent foreign certificate for people living abroad. Prices differ by canton and residency: Vaud charges CHF 150 a year for rivers but CHF 300 for some non-residents, and Bern doubles annual and monthly fees for non-residents without a reciprocity agreement. Many cantons require catches to be recorded in a booklet or app, and permits state the waters, gear and hook rules. Read the cantonal leaflet before your first outing.

Official sources : Swiss Fishing Ordinance (OLFP/VBGF, SR 923.01), Fedlex ; Swiss Animal Protection Ordinance (OPAn/TSchV), Fedlex ; Anglers' training network – SaNa certificate Q&A ; Canton of Vaud – fishing licence prices 2026 ; Canton of Bern – fishing permits and prices ; Canton of Bern – fishing directorate ordinance (FiDV) ; Canton of Geneva – fishing licence categories and prices

Where can you fish in Switzerland?

On lakes and rivers open under a cantonal permit, plus designated free-fishing shores. Big lakes such as Geneva, Constance, Lucerne, Zurich, Thun and Neuchâtel have their own permits and rules, and many rivers are sold as patent stretches. There is no official ranking of the best spots.

Swiss cantons decide which waters are open and sell the permits. Geneva splits permits by water type: Lake Geneva (trolling or float fishing), rivers and ponds. Vaud sells annual, weekly and day river permits and Lake Geneva permits by class, and lists free-fishing sectors in its river directives. Valais covers the Rhône, rivers, mountain lakes and small ponds with one cantonal permit. Neuchâtel's lake follows an intercantonal agreement and the frontier Doubs a Franco-Swiss agreement. Zurich sells a lakes permit for the shores of Lake Zurich, Greifensee and Pfäffikersee and a river permit for the Rhine and Limmat. Lucerne sells separate permits for Lake Sempach, its part of Lake Lucerne and fly-fishing stretches of the Kleine Emme and Reuss. Lake Constance permits are sold by Thurgau and St. Gallen under international rules. Check reserves, closed zones and hook rules on each canton's map and regulations before going.

Official sources : Canton of Geneva – fishing licence categories and prices ; Canton of Vaud – fishing licence prices 2026 ; Canton of Vaud – river directives 2025-2027 ; Canton of Valais – fishing decree (923.170) ; Canton of Neuchâtel – fishing decree 2026 ; Canton of Zurich – fishing permit prices from 2026 ; Canton of Zurich – how and where to fish ; Canton of Lucerne – fishing permits ; Canton of Thurgau – fishing ordinance (Lake Constance permits)

What fish can you catch in Switzerland?

Swiss rules focus on brown and lake trout, grayling, whitefish (Felchen or corégones), Arctic char, pike, perch and zander, with rainbow trout, carp and other coarse fish also present. Protected species with high threat status may not be caught, and any Atlantic salmon must be reported.

The federal fishing ordinance sets minimum closed seasons and sizes for brown trout and other native Salmo trout, grayling, whitefish (Coregonus), Arctic char (Salvelinus umbla) and the southern bleak, and protects native crayfish. It also forbids catching species listed as threatened (status 0, 1 or 2) that have no closed season or minimum size, and requires any Atlantic salmon caught and released or seen to be reported to the cantonal fishery service. Cantons add their own rules: Zurich regulates perch (Egli), whitefish, trout, Arctic char, pike, zander and grayling; Lucerne regulates whitefish, perch, trout, pike, zander and grayling; Geneva covers pike, whitefish, Arctic char, grayling, perch and trout on Lake Geneva and its rivers; Schwyz and Nidwalden add lake trout. Your permit states which species may be kept.

Official sources : Swiss Fishing Ordinance (OLFP/VBGF, SR 923.01), Fedlex ; Canton of Zurich – catch limits and closed seasons 2026 ; Canton of Lucerne – fishing permits ; Canton of Geneva – fishing licence categories and prices ; Canton of Schwyz – fishing permits ; Canton of Nidwalden – fishing permits and Lake Lucerne rules

How much is a fishing licence in Switzerland?

Prices vary by canton. In 2026 a day permit costs CHF 10 for Lake Geneva float fishing in Geneva, CHF 20 for rivers in Vaud or Geneva, CHF 25 in Valais, CHF 30 in Zurich and CHF 32 in Bern. Annual permits range from about CHF 80 to CHF 250, more for non-residents.

Examples from the cantonal price lists for 2026. Geneva: Lake Geneva trolling and float fishing CHF 140 a year, float only CHF 70 a year, CHF 36 a month or CHF 10 a day; rivers CHF 80 a year or CHF 20 a day; lake permits cost 50% more for adults not living in Geneva. Vaud: rivers CHF 150 a year (CHF 300 for some non-residents), CHF 60 a week, CHF 20 a day; Lake Geneva second class CHF 140 and third class CHF 70 a year. Valais: CHF 196 a year for residents and CHF 346 for non-residents, CHF 25 a day. Neuchâtel: CHF 150 a year, CHF 20 a day. Zurich: lakes permit CHF 160, single lake CHF 100, rivers CHF 170, day permits CHF 30. Bern: CHF 250 a year, CHF 32 a day. Thurgau, for Lake Constance: CHF 15 a day, CHF 140 a year. Annual permits also require the SaNa certificate, whose course price varies. Young anglers get reduced rates in most cantons.

Official sources : Canton of Geneva – fishing licence categories and prices ; Canton of Vaud – fishing licence prices 2026 ; Canton of Valais – fishing decree (923.170) ; Canton of Neuchâtel – fishing decree 2026 ; Canton of Zurich – fishing permit prices from 2026 ; Canton of Bern – fishing permits and prices ; Canton of Thurgau – fishing ordinance (Lake Constance permits) ; Anglers' training network – SaNa certificate Q&A

Can you fish in Switzerland without a licence?

Only where a canton allows free fishing. Geneva permits one fixed-float line from Lake Geneva without a permit, Bern allows shore fishing on Lakes Thun, Brienz and Biel with one rod and a barbless hook, and Zurich has free angling zones on several lakes. Elsewhere you need a permit.

There is no federal licence-free rule; cantons define exceptions. Geneva: fishing without a permit is allowed on the lake with a single floating line with a fixed float and single hook, and children under 14 may fish rivers the same way. Bern: free angling from the shore of Lakes Brienz, Thun and Biel with one rod and a single barbless hook, without bait fish. Zurich: a free angling right exists on the shores of Lake Zurich, Greifensee, Pfäffikersee and Türlersee with restricted gear. Schwyz issues a free angling card that still requires the SaNa certificate. Vaud lists free-fishing sectors in its 2025-2027 river directives. Children often fish free with a licensed adult: under 12 in Neuchâtel and under 13 in Valais, with catches counted on the adult's permit. In all cases federal rules apply: minimum sizes, closed seasons and immediate killing of fish kept for eating. Outside these exceptions a permit is needed even for one day.

Official sources : Canton of Geneva – fishing without a licence ; Canton of Bern – fishing directorate ordinance (FiDV) ; Canton of Zurich – how and where to fish ; Canton of Schwyz – fishing permits ; Canton of Vaud – river directives 2025-2027 ; Canton of Neuchâtel – fishing decree 2026 ; Canton of Valais – fishing decree (923.170) ; Swiss Fishing Ordinance (OLFP/VBGF, SR 923.01), Fedlex ; Swiss Animal Protection Ordinance (OPAn/TSchV), Fedlex

What fish are in Swiss lakes?

Swiss lakes mainly hold perch (Egli), whitefish (Felchen, corégones), pike, zander, lake trout and Arctic char, plus coarse fish such as roach and carp. Each lake has its own rules; for example Lake Constance whitefish are fully protected until 31 December 2026.

Lake regulations list the target species. On Lake Zurich, the canton regulates perch, whitefish, lake and brown trout, Arctic char (Rötel), pike, zander and grayling, with a night-fishing ban (23:00 to 04:00 in summer time). On Lake Lucerne, Nidwalden and Lucerne set rules for whitefish (Balchen, Felchen), perch, trout, Arctic char, pike and zander, with at most two rods and a night ban. On Lake Geneva, Geneva's rules cover whitefish (corégones), Arctic char (omble-chevalier), perch, pike, trout and grayling under the Franco-Swiss agreement. On Lake Constance, whitefish are fully protected from 1 January 2024 to 31 December 2026 and lake trout may only be kept from 60 cm. Coarse fish are also present but less regulated. Check the lake's permit conditions for sizes and daily limits.

Official sources : Canton of Zurich – catch limits and closed seasons 2026 ; Canton of Zurich – fishing permit prices from 2026 ; Canton of Nidwalden – fishing permits and Lake Lucerne rules ; Canton of Lucerne – fishing permits ; Canton of Geneva – fishing licence categories and prices ; Franco-Swiss agreement on Lake Geneva fishing – implementing rules (Fedlex) ; Canton of St. Gallen – Lake Constance fishing rules 2026

What fish are native to Switzerland?

Native Swiss fish include brown trout and lake trout, grayling, whitefish, Arctic char (Salvelinus umbla), pike, perch, burbot, chub and barbel. Rainbow trout and brook trout are introduced from North America, and zander is native to central and eastern Europe.

The federal fishing ordinance names native trout species (Salmo trutta and several Swiss and southern Salmo forms), grayling, whitefish and Arctic char among the fish it protects with closed seasons, and it requires any Atlantic salmon caught or seen to be reported. FishBase distribution data confirm that northern pike, European perch, grayling, burbot, chub and barbel have native ranges covering most or much of Europe, which includes Switzerland. Species introduced from elsewhere include rainbow trout (native to the Pacific slope of North America), brook trout (eastern North America) and zander, native to central and eastern Europe and widely introduced in western Europe. Several native species are threatened, and the ordinance forbids catching those with the highest threat status. Cantonal rules sometimes allow unlimited harvest of introduced species, so check local regulations.

Official sources : Swiss Fishing Ordinance (OLFP/VBGF, SR 923.01), Fedlex ; FishBase – Esox lucius ; FishBase – Thymallus thymallus ; FishBase – Lota lota ; FishBase – Oncorhynchus mykiss ; FishBase – Sander lucioperca ; FishBase – Salvelinus fontinalis

Can you fish in Lake Geneva, Switzerland?

Yes. On the Geneva side you can even fish from the shore without a permit using one fixed-float line, and day permits for float fishing cost CHF 10 in 2026. Vaud and Valais sell their own Lake Geneva permits. Rules follow the Franco-Swiss agreement.

Lake Geneva (Léman) is shared by France and the cantons of Geneva, Vaud and Valais, and its fishing is governed by the Franco-Swiss agreement and its implementing regulation in force since 1 January 2026. In Geneva, fishing from the lake without a permit is allowed with a single floating line with a fixed float and a single hook. Geneva permits for 2026: trolling and float fishing CHF 140 a year, float fishing CHF 70 a year, CHF 36 a month or CHF 10 a day, with a 50% surcharge for adults not living in Geneva; annual permits require the SaNa certificate. Vaud sells Lake Geneva permits by class (second class, trolling, CHF 140; third class, float, CHF 70 a year or CHF 10 a day). Geneva requires catches to be reported for each fishing day through its app or booklet. Species regulated on the lake include whitefish, Arctic char, perch, pike, trout and grayling.

Official sources : Canton of Geneva – fishing licence categories and prices ; Canton of Geneva – fishing without a licence ; Franco-Swiss agreement on Lake Geneva fishing – implementing rules (Fedlex) ; Canton of Vaud – fishing licence prices 2026

Can you fish in Lake Lucerne, Switzerland?

Yes, with a permit from one of the lakeside cantons. Lucerne sells an annual Lake Lucerne permit including trolling for CHF 165 (SaNa required), and Nidwalden sells permits from CHF 20 a day. Lake rules allow at most two rods and ban night fishing.

Lake Lucerne (Vierwaldstättersee) is shared by several cantons with joint intercantonal rules. Lucerne's annual permit for its zone of the lake, including trolling, costs CHF 165 for canton residents, CHF 85 for the Horwerbucht zone, with a 50% surcharge for non-residents; it requires the SaNa certificate. Nidwalden sells annual angling permits (CHF 130 for residents, CHF 260 for others), monthly (CHF 60 / 120), weekly (CHF 40) and daily permits (CHF 20), plus a shore permit; permits over a month require SaNa. Lake rules published by Nidwalden: at most two rods, a hegene with up to six droppers, trolling with no more than ten hooking points per boat, and a night-fishing ban from 22:00 to 04:00 between 1 March and 31 October (20:00 to 06:00 in winter). Species regulated include whitefish, perch, trout, Arctic char, pike and zander. Check which canton's water you are on before buying.

Official sources : Canton of Lucerne – fishing permits ; Canton of Nidwalden – fishing permits and Lake Lucerne rules ; Canton of Nidwalden – fishing law ; Canton of Schwyz – fishing permits

Can you fish in Lake Zurich, Switzerland?

Yes. Canton Zurich sells a day permit for CHF 30 and a lakes permit for CHF 160 a year for shore fishing on Lake Zurich, Greifensee and Pfäffikersee, with a boat add-on. Annual permits require SaNa, and night fishing is banned from 23:00 to 04:00 in summer.

Lake Zurich is shared by Zurich, Schwyz and St. Gallen. Canton Zurich's 2026 structure: a lakes permit (CHF 160 a year, CHF 60 for ages 10-18) for shore fishing on Lake Zurich including the Obersee, Greifensee and Pfäffikersee; a single-lake permit (CHF 100); a day permit for one lake (CHF 30, CHF 12 for young people) valid from the shore and boat; and add-ons for a boat (CHF 160) or a guest (CHF 60). Annual permits need the SaNa certificate, day permits do not. Schwyz sells its own permits for the whole of Lake Zurich (shore CHF 154 a year for residents of Schwyz, Zurich or St. Gallen). Zurich also allows free angling from certain shores with restricted gear. Night fishing on Lake Zurich is forbidden from 23:00 to 04:00 during summer time and 22:00 to 05:00 otherwise. Zurich's 2026 leaflet sets catch limits and closed seasons for perch, whitefish, trout, char, pike, zander and grayling.

Official sources : Canton of Zurich – fishing permit prices from 2026 ; Canton of Zurich – catch limits and closed seasons 2026 ; Canton of Zurich – how and where to fish ; Canton of Schwyz – fishing permits