Fishing licences and permits

A fishing rod licence is required to go coarse and game fishing in lakes, rivers and canals, but is not needed for the sea. You can get one from the Environment agency or a Post Office (Click Here).
If you fish without a licence, you’re breaking the law and you will be fined. So always buy one before you go and renew it when it expires. Some versions last for a year, some a few days and some just one day. The prices vary and your Post Office will have all the up to date information.
If you fish without a licence, you’re breaking the law and you will be fined. So always buy one before you go and renew it when it expires. Some versions last for a year, some a few days and some just one day. The prices vary and your Post Office will have all the up to date information.
Why is there a rod licence?
The first national fishing licence was introduced in 1992. Before this each nationalised water authority issued its own and anglers had to buy one for each authority area they fished (which was not popular!).
The principle behind rod licences is that those who participate in and gain benefit from the sport should contribute to the cost of maintaining, developing and improving fisheries. The Environment Agency has been given the responsibility for carrying out much of this work and the income we receive from rod licence sales funds a portion of it.
The first national fishing licence was introduced in 1992. Before this each nationalised water authority issued its own and anglers had to buy one for each authority area they fished (which was not popular!).
The principle behind rod licences is that those who participate in and gain benefit from the sport should contribute to the cost of maintaining, developing and improving fisheries. The Environment Agency has been given the responsibility for carrying out much of this work and the income we receive from rod licence sales funds a portion of it.

Rod licence checking
The Midlands have a team of dedicated fisheries enforcement officers and now from 2014 new bailiff volunteers.
They are highly trained (in many areas to the same level as police officers),
carry specialised equipment (stab vests, handcuffs, batons) and have a lot of knowledge and experience of angling. They are responsible for a range of
enforcement duties – elver protection, salmon poaching, illegal fish introductions as well as rod licence compliance checks and enforcement.
This year in the Midlands they will check over 14,000 licences. All there rod licence work is intelligence-led. This means that they target patrols on areas they believe are more likely to find people without licences.
There intelligence comes from a variety of sources, such as the previous history of sites, specific tip-offs, surveillance and incident reports. This is all assessed by there crime analyst who then devises a programme of targeted activity.
All the reports they receive about illegal fishing are fed into this process so even if they can’t respond immediately they all help in building the intelligence picture.
Rod licences – questions and answers: http://www.environmentagency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/fishing/38081.aspx
Buy your licence online here: http://www.environmentagency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/fishing/31497.aspx
Where your money goes: http://www.environmentagency.gov.uk/static/documents/Leisure/Annual_report_summary_-_final_-_combined.pdf
Buy your licence online here: http://www.environmentagency.gov.uk/homeandleisure/recreation/fishing/31497.aspx
Where your money goes: http://www.environmentagency.gov.uk/static/documents/Leisure/Annual_report_summary_-_final_-_combined.pdf