Conditions of sale for fishing licences and permits
The conditions of sale and refund policy for fishing rod licences and permits.
Rod licence
1. A DAERA rod licence is issued in line with the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966 and regulations made under the act. 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. Annual rod licences are valid from the date and time they're bought until the end of that calendar year. Short term three-day or 14-day licences are only valid for three and 14 days respectively from the date and time chosen.
3. The rod licence is issued by the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) and is an authorisation to fish. It does not give rights to fish in any particular waters. The holder of the rod licence must make sure that they have the permission of the fishery owner before they start fishing.
4. The holder of a game rod licence is allowed to fish one rod and line, or hand line for salmon and all species of freshwater fish (as defined by the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966). A game rod licence holder can fish with one rod and line or hand line (under point three above) at game fisheries and named coarse and rainbow trout fisheries as set out in schedule four and six of the Fisheries Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014.
5. The holder of a coarse rod licence is allowed to fish with two rods and lines or hand lines for all species of freshwater fish (as defined by the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966) other than salmon, sea trout, brown trout and rainbow trout. A coarse rod licence holder (under point three above) can fish with two rods and lines or hand lines only at waters that have been named as coarse fisheries listed in Schedule four of the Fisheries Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014
6. The holder of a concessionary licence or juvenile licence is allowed to fish one rod and line, or hand line for salmon and all species of freshwater fish (as defined by the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966), at game fisheries and named coarse and rainbow trout fisheries as set out in schedule four and six of the Fisheries Regulation NI 2014. Or, fish with two rods and lines or hand lines for all species of freshwater fish (as defined by the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966) other than salmon, sea trout, brown trout and rainbow trout at waters that have been named as coarse fisheries listed in schedule four of the Fisheries Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014.
7. Any salmon, sea trout, brown trout or rainbow trout mistakenly caught by the holder of a coarse rod licence must be immediately returned unharmed to the waters from which they were taken.
8. DAERA rod licences can only be used by the person the licence has been issued to and is non-transferable.
9. Rod licences issued by DAERA are only valid for the DAERA area. Anyone wanting to fish in the Loughs Agency of the Foyle, Carlingford and Irish Lights Commission (FCILC) area can buy an endorsement for their DAERA rod licence or purchase a FCILC Rod licence.
10. A licence is not needed when sea fishing, except when fishing for salmon or sea trout, where a game rod licence would be needed.
DAERA permit
11. A DAERA Angling Permit is an authorisation to fish at DAERA Public Angling Estate Fisheries. The permit holder should make themselves aware of all the department’s angling regulations for fishing the Public Angling Estate waters including, season, minimum takeable size and bag limits. Some Public Angling Estate waters are managed by angling clubs or organisations, and these will have specific arrangements for DAERA permit holders accessing that fishery. Visit the DAERA Public Angling Estate Fisheries for more details.
12. A DAERA Angling Permit is valid only for the period recorded when you buy it. This period will be on your email confirmation or receipt. Annual angling permits are valid from the date and time of being bought until the end of that calendar year. Short term three-day or 14-day permits are only valid for three and 14 days respectively from the date and time chosen.
13. The holder of a DAERA game permit, concessionary permit and juvenile permit is allowed to fish, if holding a valid game rod licence, at all the Public Angling Estate fisheries except the River Bush restricted stretches where River Bush Day Tickets must be bought. Some managed waters will need a day ticket or permission from the club or organisation managing the fishery.
14. The holder of a DAERA coarse permit is allowed to fish, with a valid coarse rod licence, at the DAERA Public Angling Estate Coarse fisheries.
15. DAERA Angling Permits can only be used by the person who the permit has been issued to and is non-transferable.
16. DAERA has the right to close any of the DAERA Public Angling Estate Fisheries should this become necessary for management or other purposes. In such an event no refund will be paid to the holders of departmental permits.
17. The permit holder may not fish on DAERA Public Angling Estate Fisheries when they are closed by the department. Anyone fishing at DAERA Public Angling Estate waters that have been closed will be breaking their permit conditions. Notifications of closures will be posted to the DAERA website.
18. Fishing for coarse fish in DAERA Public Angling Estate Fisheries containing stocked brown trout and / or rainbow trout (during the close season or game season) is allowed. All brown trout caught in the close season for game fish should be released immediately unharmed. Rainbow trout can only be kept in the close season for game fish where the water is a named rainbow trout fishery as listed in schedule six of the Fisheries Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014. However, anglers must hold a game rod licence and permit and must only use the permitted methods for that water.
19. Anyone found breaking the DAERA permit conditions 17 and 18 will be deemed to have invalidated their permit by doing so and may face enforcement action up to and including prosecution. Find out about the main Angling Regulations.
A full copy of the Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966 and some of the other main regulations can be found at the following links:
- Fisheries Act (Northern Ireland) 1966
- Fisheries Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2014
- Public Angling Estate Byelaws (Northern Ireland) 2005
- Public Angling Estate (Amendment) Byelaws (Northern Ireland) 2006
This is not a full list of all the fisheries legislation that applies.
If you have any queries on angling regulations contact DAERA angling licencing by email:
Refund policy
Portadown Inland Fisheries
All refund or buying queries should be made to DAERA Inland Fisheries Portadown Office.
Angling licence and permit distributors cannot process refunds for licences or permits.
Three-day /14-day licence/permit
The last day to ask for a refund for a three-day or 14-day licence/permit is two days before it starts. You must ask for a refund before 5.00 pm on a working day. Once the period of two days before the date on a licence/permit starts, no refund will be given.
Season licence or permit
No refund will be given for season licences or permits once they have been bought.
DAERA game licence/permit
A DAERA game licence/permit, valid from March to October, also allows for coarse fishing all year round. Therefore, the licence/permit becomes effective immediately when bought.
River Bush day tickets
The last day to ask for a refund for a River Bush day ticket is two working days before the day the given day ticket starts.
Firstly, the day ticket may be transferred to another date, depending on availability, or a refund will be given.
Once a day ticket is live (on the start date), no refund will be given.
If DAERA closes a stretch of the River Bush fishery, the day ticket bought may be transferred to another date depending on availability, or a refund can be given upon asking.
DAERA policy on related subjects can be found on the below links:
- Angling Licence and Permit Refunds
- Revocation or Refusal of a Fishing Licence
- Angling Licencing and Permit Regime Policy
- DAERA Enforcement Policy