Irish Fishing Regulations
While no licence is needed for trout, pike and coarse fishing in the Republic of Ireland , a rod licence is required in Northern Ireland
Sea fishing for marine sport fish does not require a licence in either country.
In the Republic of Ireland State Salmon and Sea Trout Licences are available as a National licence or a District Licence. A National Licence covers all Fishery Board Districts while a District Licence covers only the Fishery District in which the licence is purchased. It should be noted that a licence does not confer the right to fish for salmon or sea trout and that permission or permits are required to fish most waters.
Anglers in the Shannon Region must have a Permit (ticket charge) to fish for trout, pike or coarse fish in the Midland Fisheries Group of controlled waters. This area comprises the following river catchments; RIVER SUCK, RIVER INNY, RIVER BROSNA, LITTLE BROSNA RIVER and CAMLIN RIVER. This permit is not required to fish the main River Shannon or other fisheries whose fishing rights are NOT under the control of the Inland Fisheries Ireland.
GENERAL FRESHWATER
The only legal method to catch freshwater fish is by rod and line (Control of Fishing for Coarse Fish in Fresh Water Bye-law No. 595, 1977.).
A person may fish with not more than two rods at any time (Control of Fishing for Coarse Fish in Fresh Water Bye-law No. 595, 1977.).
It is illegal to have or to use live fish as bait (Use of Live Fish as Bait in Fresh Water Bye-law No. 592, 1977).
It is illegal to transfer live roach from one water to any other waters (Transfer of Live Roach, Bye-Law No. 561, 1973).
Foul Hooking
This bye-law prohibits the killing and possession of foul hooked fish (i.e fish not hooked in the mouth) in any fishery district in any year.
SALMON and SEA TROUT
A State Licence is required to fish for salmon and sea trout, but does not entitle you to fish. Permits or permission from fisheries owners must be obtained.
General salmon angling regulations
A State Licence is required to fish for salmon and sea trout
All salmon (and sea trout over 40cm) kept must be tagged, and the logbook filled out accordingly.
It is prohibited to keep or kill any sea trout in Connemara or the Ballinakill district.
It is prohibited sell rod caught salmon or sea trout over 40cm between January 1st and October 31st
Bag Limits The existing annual bag limit of 10 fish being either salmon or sea trout (over 40 cm ) per angler for the 2008 season continues in rivers above their Conservation Limits. This Bye-Law provides for a season bag limit of 3 fish in the period 1 Jan to 11 May, a daily bag limit of 3 fish from 12 May to 31 August and a daily bag limit of 1 fish from 1 September to the end of the season.
anglers fishing with a one day licence have a bag limit of one fish (only one tag is issued)
The Bye-law also provides for the use of single hooks and prohibits the use of worms as bait once the specified number of fish have been caught in the specified periods
Salmon Regulation
Anglers are prohibited from selling salmon (any size) or sea trout (any size) caught by rod and line. These guidelines have been prepared for information purposes only and do not purport to be a legal interpretation. The holder of a rod licence should familiarise himself or herself with section 69 of the Inland Fisheries Act, 2010 (No. 10 of 2010), the current Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme Regulations and the Salmon and Sea Trout Conservation
Salmon Regulation
The Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Scheme regulates salmon and sea trout fishing in Ireland
1. BAG LIMITS
There is an angling bag limit of 10 salmon (any size) or sea trout (over 40 cm ) on rivers where you may catch and retain salmon (Table 1). The bag limits are subject to any quota allocated to a river and its tributaries.
Subject to the maximum annual bag limit of ten fish an angler may take:
A total of one salmon (any size) or sea trout (over 40cm) per day for the period beginning January 1st to May 11th (three fish in total may be retained for this period).
Daily Bag Limit: Three salmon (any size) or sea trout (over 40cm) per day from May 12th to August 31st (except where a salmon rod (one-day) ordinary licence is held, 1 fish).
Daily Bag Limit: One salmon (any size) or sea trout (over 40cm) per day from 1st September to the close of the season.
Please note that it is an offence to kill any sea trout in the Galway, Connemara or Ballinakill Fisheries Districts including at sea from Hags Head in County Clare to Clew Bay (and in any waters flowing into Clew Bay) in the Bangor Fishery District south of a line drawn due east and west through Achill Head.
After the daily bag limit has been taken, anglers are permitted to fish catch and release, using single barbless hooks and anglers may not use worms. The killing and possession of foul hooked fish is prohibited.
On rivers where catch and release is permitted (Table 2):
anglers may not use worms
anglers must use single barbless hooks
the fish must be handled carefully and should not be removed from the water prior to release.
On all other rivers (Table 3) angling for salmon (any size) and sea trout (over 40cm) is prohibited.
The Newport River (including Lough Beltra and the Crumpaun River
The River Garvogue (including the River Bonet and Lough Gill) provides for Catch and Release up to 11th May. This river will be open for angling from 12th May (bye-law no 877, 2010).
The River Bandon provides for Catch and Release up to 11th May and is open for angling from 12th May (bye-law no. 876, 2010).
The Rivers Nore and Suir in the Waterford District are subject to further regulations. For information please contact Inland Fisheries Ireland - Clonmel.
There is an angling bag limit of 10 salmon (any size) or sea trout (over 40 cm ) on rivers where you may catch and retain salmon (Table 1). The bag limits are subject to any quota allocated to a river and its tributaries.
2. OBTAINING A LICENCE
Anglers can obtain their licence from Inland Fisheries Ireland, any rod licence distributor or online at www.salmonlicences.ie. On payment of the rod licence fee, the angler will be given:
The relevant rod licence.
A logbook.
3 gill tags where a salmon rod (annual) ordinary, juvenile, district or 21-day ordinary licence is issued up until 11th May and a further 7 gill tags (issued in lots of 3 or 4) from the period 12th May to 30th Sept up to a maximum of 10 gill tags in total provided they demonstrate that they have completed their logbook appropriately.
1 gill tag where a salmon rod (one day) ordinary licence is issued up until the close of the season.
A business reply envelope for return of the logbook and unused tags to the relevant Inland Fisheries Ireland office.
A plastic wallet for the logbook.
3. THE TAG
The tag to be used by anglers is a blue plastic self-locking device (an additional brown tag is also required for certain rivers). Each blue tag is embossed with a code identifying where the tag was issued, the year in which the tag can be used, a security code and a tag serial number. (An additional supplement is provided for details relating to rivers where brown tags apply).
Anglers should carefully note the following concerning the use of these tags:
Each rod licence holder will be issued tags for his/her use only. Tags are not transferable between licence holders.
These tags shall not be re-used.
One tag shall be attached to each salmon (any size) and sea trout (over 40 cm ) caught and retained.
Tags must be attached immediately on landing the fish.
Tags shall be attached through the gill opening and mouth of the fish and securely double locked around the gill cover.
Additional tags shall be issued on presentation of logbook information showing that the licence holder has used the gill tags issued to him or her, subject to bag limits.
Lost and accidentally destroyed tags may be replaced upon presentation of a signed declaration completed by the angler and signed by an Authorised Officer of Inland Fisheries Ireland.
Gill tags shall only be removed from the fish at the time of processing in accordance with the Tagging Scheme Regulations. For the purposes of this scheme processing includes: smoking, marinating or cooking the fish, gutting and freezing the fish or cutting any steaks, cutlets or portions of the fish.
4. THE LOGBOOK
On receipt of tags the angler will also receive a logbook. Details of the gill tags issued to an angler will be entered into the angler’s logbook by the issuing agent.
Each angler shall:
Have the logbook in his/her possession while fishing for salmon or sea trout.
Record all details of their catch in their logbook immediately after tagging the fish.
Make a catch record even if the fish is released.
Record details of any lost or damaged tags.
Declare lost or damaged logbooks to Inland Fisheries Ireland.
5. RETURNING LOGBOOKS AND UNUSED TAGS
In accordance with the Wild Salmon and Sea Trout Tagging Regulations anglers are required by law to return their completed logbook (even if there is no catch recorded) and all unused tags to the issuing office of Inland Fisheries Ireland by the 19th October 2011. A business reply envelope is provided for this purpose. Anglers are required to obtain proof of postage and to retain such proof for 12 months.
6. PROHIBITION ON THE SALE
Source: http://www.fisheriesireland.ie
