COVID-19 update - All public angling estate waters are now closed to angling. Car parks and vehicular access points should not be used. All anglers are advised to stay at home and not go fishing anywhere. As a result the purchasing of licences and permits has been temporarily suspended. These arrangements will be kept under review: Anglers told to stay at home as fishing waters are closed
Conditions of sale
1. A Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) rod licence is issued in line with the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966 and in Regulations made under the Act and anglers should make themselves aware of these
2. A rod licence is valid only for the period recorded when you buy it. This period will be on your email confirmation or receipt.
3. The rod licence is issued by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) as an authority to fish. It does not purport to give rights to fish in any particular waters. The holder of the licence must make sure that they have the permission of the fishery owner. The holder of a game rod licence must make sure that such waters are open to fishing.
4. The holder of a coarse rod licence is authorised to fish for, by rod and line or hand line, all species of freshwater fish (as defined by the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966) other than brown trout and rainbow trout, on waters that have been designated by the DAERA as coarse fisheries waters.
5. Any salmon, sea trout, brown trout or rainbow trout inadvertently caught by the holder of a coarse rod licence must be immediately returned unharmed to the waters from which they were taken.
6. DAERA rod licences and permits can only be used by the person whose name appears on the licence.
7. Game rod licence holders are legally required to make a catch return for salmon and sea trout. However, all anglers, game and coarse will be contacted by the DAERA to encourage catch returns for other species as well.
8. A DAERA permit is valid only for DAERA Fisheries.The permit holder must also be aware of all the Department’s angling regulations for fishing including, season, minimum takeable size and bag limits.
9. The holder must provide such information about their angling activities on Departmental waters as the Department or any authorised person may require.
10. The Department reserves the right to close any of its angling waters should this become necessary for management or other purposes and in such an event no refund can be paid to the holders of Departmental permits.
11. The holder may not fish on DAERA waters when they are closed or reserved by the Department.
12. There shall be no fishing in DAERA waters containing salmon, sea trout or brown trout during the close season for game fishing except where the Department allows pike or coarse fishing.
13. A DAERA permit may be forfeited at the discretion of DAERA should the holder break the rules.
The main angling regulations can be found at:
A full copy of the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966 and the other relevant legislation can be found at the links below:
- Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966
- Fisheries Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014
- Public Angling Estate Byelaws (Northern Ireland) 2005
Rod licence and permit - refund policy
1. All refund applications should be directed to the Department only.
2. A refund will only be offered by DAERA if notification is received within three working days before the start date and time of the particular Licence/Permit.
3. When purchasing a disabled rod licence or permit the holder must declare that the information given is accurate. If found to be incorrect, DAERA will revoke the licence and/ or permit and offer the holder the opportunity to buy a full rod licence and permit. No refund will be issued.
4. A refund of a River Bush day ticket will be offered when DAERA closes the River Bush fishery due to health and safety reasons.