Skip to main content
N I Direct government services

Main navigation

  • Home
  • News
  • Contacts
  • Help
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Environment and the outdoors
  3. Forests and outdoor recreation
  4. Outdoor recreation
  5. Angling
  6. Angling - what you need to go fishing
  7. Angling rod licences

Angling rod licences explained

The 'Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs' (DAERA) and the 'Loughs Agency' protect fish stocks in Northern Ireland. The types of rod licences available from DAERA and Loughs Agency and what you need to fish legally is explained.

DAERA and Loughs Agency fishing areas

 

Map showing DAERA and Loughs Agency fishing areas in Northern Ireland
Map showing DAERA and Loughs Agency fishing areas in Northern Ireland

DAERA and Loughs Agency each sell angling licences for their specific areas (see map) so the type of licence you need, will depend on the area you choose to fish in.

The fisheries managed by DAERA are known as the Public Angling Estate (PAE). These fisheries are open to the public and are listed at the following link where you'll also find private fisheries that are not managed by DAERA.

Private fisheries are known as 'fisheries outside the Public Angling Estate' - they're also open to the public and include Loughs Agency managed fisheries: 

  • Where you can fish in Northern Ireland

What you need to fish legally

To fish legally in Northern Ireland you will need the following two items:

  • a rod licence plus
  • a permit or day ticket

The rod licence is for the fishing rod and the game or coarse fish you're allowed to catch.  A permit or day ticket gives you the right to fish in a particular fishery.

  • Angling permits explained

A Great Britain (English, Scottish, Welsh) or Republic of Ireland fishing licence does not allow you to fish in Northern Ireland. 

Buy DAERA rod licences, permits, day tickets

Anglers can buy DAERA rod licences, permits and day tickets online or from a distributor (for example a tackle shop). You should read the 'Conditions of Sale' for fishing licences and permits before buying.

You can buy rod licences, permits and River Bush day tickets online to fish the DAERA Public Angling Estate fisheries. You can also buy a rod licence and permit together by choosing 'Combined licence and permit'.

  • Buy rod licences and permits including River Bush day tickets 
  • Angling licence and permit distributors

Buy Loughs Agency licences, permits

Loughs Agency rod licences can be bought online or through distributors (for example a tackle shop) where you can also buy permits and day tickets:

  • Loughs Agency Rod eLicence
  • Angling licence and permit distributors

Rod licence 

Anglers need a rod licence by law to fish in freshwater lakes, loughs and rivers in Northern Ireland for:

  • each rod used by anyone over 12 years in the DAERA area
  • all ages in the area covered by Loughs Agency

There is no need to have a rod licence for sea angling, except when fishing for salmon or sea trout.

Anglers with a DAERA or Loughs Agency rod licence can buy an endorsement on a rod licence for £1.00 which allows them to fish in both DAERA and Loughs Agency areas:

  • Endorsements to fish both DAERA and Loughs Agency 

Game and coarse angling

There are two types of angling, game and coarse:

  • game species include brown trout, sea trout, salmon and arctic char
  • ​coarse species include pike, bream, roach, perch, carp, tench and rudd

Your rod licence will show the type of fish you can catch and the number of rods allowed.

DAERA game rod licences

All DAERA game rod licences allow the holder to fish for either game or coarse but with only one rod at a time. A separate game rod licence is needed for each extra rod being used for game or coarse.

Game rod licences are valid for the game season when fishing for game and from January to December when fishing for coarse.  For more information and prices follow the link:

  • Game rod licence prices from DAERA
  • Game and coarse fishing seasons

DAERA coarse rod licences

All DAERA coarse rod licences allow the holder to use two coarse rods. A separate coarse licence is needed for a third coarse rod to be used.

Coarse licences are valid from January to December when fishing for coarse only. For more information and prices follow the link:

  • Coarse rod licence prices from DAERA

DAERA short term and tourist rod licences

This rod licence is useful if you do not fish regularly or if you're a tourist.  Follow the link for information about the number of rods you're allowed, prices and more:

  • Short-term and tourist rod licence prices from DAERA

Have proof to show you're fishing legally

When fishing you may be approached by a DAERA Fishery Protection Officer, the Police Service of Northern Ireland  (PSNI) or a Private Water Bailiff to check if you're fishing legally. 

Find out more about having proof to show you're fishing legally.

More useful links

  • Angling - what you need to go fishing
  • Angling
  • Game and coarse fishing seasons
  • Rod licence and permit prices
Share this page Share on Facebook (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share on Twitter (external link opens in a new window / tab) Share by email (external link opens in a new window / tab)

Angling rod licences

  • Angling rod licences explained
  • Buy rod licences, permits and River Bush day tickets
  • Coarse rod licence prices from DAERA
  • Endorsements to fish both DAERA and Loughs Agency
  • Game rod licence prices from DAERA
  • Sea angling
  • Short-term and tourist rod licence prices from DAERA

Translation help

How to translate this page

Help improve this page - send your feedback

What do you want to do?
Report a problem
Which problem did you find on this page? (Tick all that apply)

Messages

You will not receive a reply. We will consider your feedback to help improve the site.

Don't include any personal or financial information, for example National Insurance, credit card numbers, or phone numbers.

What is your question about?

What to do next

Comments or queries about angling can be emailed to anglingcorrespondence@daera-ni.gov.uk 

If you have a comment or query about benefits, you will need to contact the government department or agency which handles that benefit.  Contacts for common benefits are listed below.

Carer's Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912
Email 
dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Discretionary support / Short-term benefit advance

Call 0800 587 2750 
Email 
customerservice.unit@communities-ni.gov.uk

Disability Living Allowance

Call 0800 587 0912 
Email dcs.incomingpostteamdhc2@nissa.gsi.gov.uk

Employment and Support Allowance

Call 0800 587 1377

Jobseeker’s Allowance

Contact your local Jobs & Benefits office

Personal Independence Payment

Call 0800 587 0932

If your query is about another benefit, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

Comments or queries about the Blue Badge scheme can be emailed to bluebadges@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk or you can also call 0300 200 7818.

For queries or advice about careers, contact the Careers Service.

For queries or advice about Child Maintenance, contact the Child Maintenance Service.

For queries or advice about claiming compensation due to a road problem, contact DFI Roads claim unit.

If you can’t find the information you’re looking for in the Coronavirus (COVID-19) section, then for queries about:

  • Restrictions or regulations — contact the Department of Health
  • Travel advice (including self-isolation) — contact the Department of Health
  • Coronavirus (COVID-19) vaccinations — contact the Department of Health or Public Health Agency

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk and for queries about your certificate, email covidcertni@hscni.net.

For queries or advice about criminal record checks, email ani@accessni.gov.uk

Application and payment queries can be emailed to ema_ni@slc.co.uk

For queries or advice about employment rights, contact the Labour Relations Agency.

For queries or advice about birth, death, marriage and civil partnership certificates and research, contact the General Register Office Northern Ireland (GRONI) by email gro_nisra@finance-ni.gov.uk

For queries about the High Street Spend Local Scheme,  email HSSS.mail@economy-ni.gov.uk.

For queries about:

  • Car tax, vehicle registration and SORN
    contact the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA), Swansea
     
  • Driver licensing and tests, MOT and vehicle testing
    contact the Driver & Vehicle Agency (DVA), Northern Ireland

If your query is about another topic, select ‘Other’ from the drop-down menu above.

For queries about your identity check, email nida@nidirect.gov.uk.

 

For queries or advice about passports, contact HM Passport Office.

For queries or advice about Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs), including parking tickets and bus lane PCNs, email dcu@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about pensions, contact the Northern Ireland Pension Centre.

If you wish to report a problem with a road or street you can do so online in this section.

If you wish to check on a problem or fault you have already reported, contact DfI Roads.

For queries or advice about historical, social or cultural records relating to Northern Ireland, use the Public Record Office of Northern Ireland (PRONI) enquiry service.

For queries or advice about rates, email LPSCustomerTeam@lpsni.gov.uk

For queries or advice about  60+ and Senior Citizen SmartPasses (which can be used to get concessionary travel on public transport), contact Smartpass - Translink.

If you have a question about a government service or policy, you should contact the relevant government organisation directly.  We don't have access to information about you.

Related sites

  • gov.uk
  • nibusinessinfo.co.uk

Links to supporting information

  • Accessibility statement
  • Crown copyright
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy
  • Cookies
  • Twitter
  • Facebook
  • YouTube
  • RSS