Fishing regulations in the United Kingdom

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a fishing licence in the UK?

It depends on the nation. In England and Wales you need an Environment Agency rod licence for freshwater fish, trout, salmon, smelt or eel (from £7.30 a day), plus the owner's permission. Scotland has no rod licence, only permits from the rights holder; Northern Ireland needs a licence and a permit.

England and Wales: GOV.UK says you must have a rod fishing licence to fish for salmon, trout, freshwater fish, smelt or eel with a rod and line in England (except the River Tweed), Wales and the Border Esk region, including on private club waters and lakes; the fine for not showing one is up to £2,500. You also need permission from the land or fishery owner, usually a fishing permit. Children under 13 need no licence, and 13 to 16-year-olds get a free junior licence. Scotland: no licence is needed to fish with rod and line anywhere except the Border Esk, but you need permission from the landowner or an angling club, and fishing for freshwater fish without a permit is an offence in areas covered by Protection Orders. Northern Ireland: you must have a rod licence and an angling permit from a Northern Irish agency (DAERA or the Loughs Agency); a GB licence is not valid there.

Official sources : GOV.UK – Buy a rod fishing licence: when you need a licence ; GOV.UK – other permissions, children and carers ; GOV.UK – rod fishing licence guide (replace, extend, Scotland and Northern Ireland) ; Scottish Government – recreational fishing ; nidirect – angling rod licences explained (Northern Ireland) ; nidirect – game rod licence prices (DAERA)

How much is a fishing licence in the UK?

For England and Wales in 2026-27: trout and coarse (2 rods) £7.30 a day, £14.70 for 8 days or £36.80 a year; 3 rods £55.30 a year; salmon and sea trout £13.50 a day, £30.50 for 8 days or £93.10 a year. Juniors 13-16 are free and over-66s or disabled anglers pay less.

GOV.UK lists these England and Wales rod licence fees. Trout and coarse up to 2 rods: 1-day £7.30, 8-day £14.70, 12-month £36.80 (£24.50 for people aged 66 or over or disabled). Trout and coarse up to 3 rods: 12-month only, £55.30 (£36.80 concession). Salmon and sea trout: 1-day £13.50, 8-day £30.50, 12-month £93.10 (£62.00 concession). There are no discounts on 1-day and 8-day licences. Junior 12-month licences for 13 to 16-year-olds are free, and under-13s need none. The licence is separate from the fishing permit or day ticket charged by the owner or club, whose price varies by water; for example, fishing locks and weirs on the Thames needs an extra permit. Northern Ireland has its own DAERA licences (a season game rod licence costs £17 for ages 19-59), and Scotland has no rod licence, only permits sold by owners and clubs.

Official sources : GOV.UK – Buy a rod fishing licence for England and Wales (fees) ; GOV.UK – other permissions, children and carers ; nidirect – game rod licence prices (DAERA) ; Scottish Government – recreational fishing

Do children need a fishing licence in the UK?

In England and Wales, children under 13 do not need a licence, and those aged 13 to 16 need a junior licence, which is free and can be obtained online or by phone. Scotland has no rod licence. Northern Ireland sets its own rules and prices.

GOV.UK states that children under 13 do not need a rod fishing licence in England and Wales, while children aged 13 to 16 need a junior licence; junior 12-month licences are free for trout and coarse (2 or 3 rods) and for salmon and sea trout. You can get a junior licence online or by calling the Environment Agency on 0344 800 5386, and you may buy it on behalf of the child using their date of birth. Carers accompanying someone who is fishing do not need a licence unless they fish themselves. Children still need the permission of the fishery or club, which may have its own junior tickets or age rules. In Scotland no rod licence is needed except on the Border Esk. In Northern Ireland, DAERA publishes separate licence prices by age band, so check nidirect before fishing there.

Official sources : GOV.UK – other permissions, children and carers ; GOV.UK – Buy a rod fishing licence for England and Wales (fees) ; Scottish Government – recreational fishing ; nidirect – game rod licence prices (DAERA)

Where can you fish in the UK?

On rivers, canals, lakes and reservoirs where the owner or a club sells permits or day tickets. In England and Wales you also need a rod licence; coarse fishing on rivers closes from 15 March to 15 June, but most stillwaters and canals stay open all year. There is no official 'best fishing' ranking.

Almost all UK waters have an owner, so you fish where a club, estate, water company or fishery sells a permit. GOV.UK reminds anglers that the rod licence does not replace the landowner's or fishery owner's permission, usually a permit, and that some sites need extra permits, such as Thames locks and weirs. Seasons shape where you can fish: in England and Wales coarse fish and eels cannot be fished on rivers from 15 March to 15 June, but coarse fish, eels and trout can be fished on most enclosed stillwaters and canals all year, subject to local byelaws. In Scotland, rights holders sell permits by river and there are Protection Order areas where fishing for freshwater fish without a permit is an offence; salmon fishing is banned on Sundays. In Northern Ireland, you need a DAERA or Loughs Agency licence plus a permit for the water. Local angling clubs and tackle shops list day-ticket waters.

Official sources : GOV.UK – other permissions, children and carers ; GOV.UK – Freshwater rod fishing rules (seasons, size and catch limits) ; Scottish Government – recreational fishing ; nidirect – angling rod licences explained (Northern Ireland)

How do I get a fishing licence in the UK?

For England and Wales, buy a rod licence online on GOV.UK (1-day, 8-day or 12-month, up to 30 days in advance) or by phone on 0344 800 5386. Email or text licences usually arrive within an hour. Northern Ireland sells its own licences through nidirect; Scotland needs only permits.

England and Wales share one Environment Agency rod licence. You can buy a 1-day, 8-day or 12-month licence online for yourself or someone else, starting up to 30 days ahead, with a debit or credit card; people receiving PIP or DLA give their National Insurance number for the disabled rate. Junior licences for 13 to 16-year-olds are free and also bought online. You can also call the Environment Agency fishing licence service on 0344 800 5386 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm). Licences sent by email or text usually arrive within one hour, and by post within 10 working days. Natural Resources Wales sends Welsh anglers to the same GOV.UK service. In Northern Ireland, DAERA and Loughs Agency licences and permits are sold via nidirect. In Scotland no rod licence exists, except for the Border Esk, which needs the England and Wales licence. On any water you still need the owner's or club's permit.

Official sources : GOV.UK – Buy a rod fishing licence for England and Wales (fees) ; Natural Resources Wales – buy a fishing rod licence ; nidirect – angling rod licences explained (Northern Ireland) ; GOV.UK – rod fishing licence guide (replace, extend, Scotland and Northern Ireland)

Can you fish in the UK without a licence?

Yes in Scotland, which has no rod licence (except on the Border Esk), though you still need the owner's or club's permission. In England and Wales, only children under 13 can fish without one; everyone else needs a rod licence, even on private waters. Northern Ireland always requires a licence and permit.

In England and Wales, GOV.UK requires a rod fishing licence for salmon, trout, freshwater fish, smelt and eel caught with rod and line, including on angling club waters and private lakes, with fines up to £2,500 for anglers who cannot show one. Children under 13 do not need a licence, 13 to 16-year-olds need a free junior licence, and carers who only assist an angler need none. In Scotland you do not need a licence to fish with rod and line anywhere except the Border Esk region, but you need permission from the landowner or an angling club, and in Protection Order areas fishing for freshwater fish without a permit is a criminal offence. In Northern Ireland you must hold both a rod licence and an angling permit. Sea fish are not in the list of species that the England and Wales rod licence covers.

Official sources : GOV.UK – Buy a rod fishing licence: when you need a licence ; GOV.UK – other permissions, children and carers ; GOV.UK – rod fishing licence guide (replace, extend, Scotland and Northern Ireland) ; Scottish Government – recreational fishing ; nidirect – angling rod licences explained (Northern Ireland)

Do you need a fishing licence to fish in the sea in the UK?

The England and Wales rod licence covers salmon, trout, freshwater fish, smelt and eel, so sea fish are not in its scope. If you fish for those listed species, including in estuaries, you need it. Sea angling rules such as size limits are set separately.

GOV.UK defines the England and Wales rod licence by species: it is required if you fish for salmon, trout, freshwater fish, smelt or eel with a rod and line in England (except the River Tweed), Wales and the Border Esk region. Sea fish are not on that list, so fishing for sea species from the shore or a boat is outside the rod licence, while targeting salmon, sea trout, smelt or eel, including in tidal waters, falls within it. We have not reviewed a dedicated official page on recreational sea angling rules for this answer, so we do not state sea size limits, bag limits or local restrictions; these are set by marine authorities and inshore fisheries bodies, and some species, such as bluefin tuna in English waters, have special recreational schemes. Harbours, piers and beaches may also have local bans. Check the inshore fisheries authority for your coast before fishing.

Official sources : GOV.UK – Buy a rod fishing licence: when you need a licence ; GOV.UK – Bluefin tuna catch and release recreational fishery in English waters

How long does it take to get a fishing licence in the UK?

Online it is almost immediate: GOV.UK says licences sent by email or text usually arrive within one hour, and postal licences within 10 working days. You can buy a licence up to 30 days before it starts. There is no exam or test.

The England and Wales rod licence is bought online on GOV.UK or by phone, with no exam, test or waiting period for approval. You can choose a 1-day, 8-day or 12-month licence and set it to start up to 30 days ahead. According to GOV.UK, licences sent by email or text message usually arrive within one hour, while licences sent by post should arrive within 10 working days; if yours has not arrived, contact the Environment Agency. You can also convert a 1-day or 8-day licence into a 12-month licence by calling the Environment Agency within 14 days of its expiry, buying the new licence and receiving a refund for the first. Remember that the licence alone does not let you fish a water: you also need the owner's or club's permit, which may involve its own membership process.

Official sources : GOV.UK – Buy a rod fishing licence for England and Wales (fees) ; GOV.UK – rod fishing licence guide (replace, extend, Scotland and Northern Ireland)

How do I find my fishing licence online in the UK?

Contact the Environment Agency: GOV.UK directs anglers who need a replacement licence or changed details to the EA on 03708 506 506 or enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk. Licences bought online are sent by email or text, usually within an hour, so check those messages first.

GOV.UK does not describe a self-service page to look up an existing licence. Its guidance says licences sent by email or text message usually arrive within one hour of purchase, and postal ones within 10 working days, so the first place to look is the email or text sent at purchase. To replace a lost licence, update your name or address, or ask questions about your licence, GOV.UK tells anglers to contact the Environment Agency by email at enquiries@environment-agency.gov.uk or by phone on 03708 506 506 (Monday to Friday, 8am to 6pm). To extend a 1-day or 8-day licence into a 12-month one, call the fishing licence service on 0344 800 5386 within 14 days of expiry. When fishing you must be able to show a valid licence if asked, or risk a fine of up to £2,500.

Official sources : GOV.UK – rod fishing licence guide (replace, extend, Scotland and Northern Ireland) ; GOV.UK – Buy a rod fishing licence for England and Wales (fees) ; GOV.UK – Buy a rod fishing licence: when you need a licence

What fish can you catch in the UK?

Coarse fish such as pike, perch, roach, rudd, bream, tench, carp, crucian carp, chub, dace and barbel; game fish such as brown trout, rainbow trout, sea trout, grayling and Atlantic salmon; plus eels, which must be released alive. Salmon is under strict catch-and-release rules on many rivers.

GOV.UK's freshwater rod fishing rules list the species covered by daily catch limits in England and Wales: from rivers you may take one pike (up to 65 cm), two grayling (30 to 38 cm) and 15 small fish up to 20 cm, including barbel, chub, common bream, common carp, crucian carp, dace, perch, rudd, silver bream, roach, smelt and tench. Any eels caught (except conger) must be released alive, and non-native species may be taken. Salmon and trout limits are set by local byelaws; selling rod-caught salmon or sea trout is illegal. Atlantic salmon must be released before 16 June everywhere in England and all season on rivers classed 'at risk', and in Wales every salmon must be released. Scotland and Northern Ireland have their own rules: in Northern Ireland all salmon and sea trout caught in the DAERA area must be released. Coarse fishing on rivers in England and Wales is closed from 15 March to 15 June.

Official sources : GOV.UK – Freshwater rod fishing rules (seasons, size and catch limits) ; GOV.UK – national rod fishing byelaws for England ; Natural Resources Wales – angling byelaws ; nidirect – angling rod licences explained (Northern Ireland)

Where can you catch crayfish in the UK?

In England you must not trap or remove any crayfish without written permission from the Environment Agency, plus the landowner's and any club's permission. Native white-clawed crayfish are protected and can only be trapped for science; permits target non-native crayfish, with strict trap rules and no live transport.

GOV.UK guidance (updated 31 March 2026) says you could be prosecuted for trapping or removing crayfish without written permission. Native white-clawed crayfish are a protected species: they can only be trapped for scientific purposes, and harming or removing them is an offence. For non-native crayfish such as signal crayfish, you also need written Environment Agency permission, plus permission from the landowner and any relevant angling club, and in some areas a licence to keep them alive. Traps must be no longer than 600 mm, no wider than 350 mm, with an entrance no more than 95 mm wide unless fitted with an otter guard, mesh no bigger than 30 mm, and an EA trapping tag. Live crayfish must not be taken away from the site, except under specific licences. Permissions are free; applications can be refused where water voles are at risk. Crayfish are also banned as bait under national rod byelaws.

Official sources : GOV.UK – Crayfish: apply for permission to trap or remove (updated 31 March 2026) ; GOV.UK – national rod fishing byelaws for England