The main fishing areas in the Netherlands are the North Sea, rivers and big lakes – there are also good fish supplies in the eastern part of the Netherlands in rivers, canals and seas. Trout breeding clubs can also be visited, and in the Amsterdam area, the Bosbaan artificial pond is worth a visit (south of the city).

Licenses and Permits

Sport fishing in the Netherlands is organised and monitored by Amateur Fishing Netherlands (Sportvisserij Nederland). Permits are required to fish.

1) A rod license (Sportvisakte) can be obtained at any post office (most post offices are open on weekdays from 08:30-17:30 and the central post offices in large cities generally open on Saturdays as well), and in many tackle shops, angling clubs and tourist information offices (VVV). This license is valid from January 1 to December 31.

• A rod licence may also be bought online at Sportvisakte: Click here (in Dutch)

2) A fishing permit (Vergunningen) issued by the owner of the fishing rights of the stretch of water in question. The fishing rights often reside with an angling club (or with several departments like: Amsterdam, Utrecht, etc.), in which case a permit can be provided by the local angling club, either by becoming a member or by buying a day-ticket (if available) or from a tackle shop. More information on local fishing permits can normally be obtained from a good tackle shop, a police station, town hall, and from the holder of the fishing rights.

Certain restrictions may be in force and these must be strictly adhered to. These may include: the use of certain types of bait during a specific season, or obligatory catch and release rules for certain species or size slots. Sometimes a trespassing permit can also be requested.

Exceptions: Anglers under the age of fifteen are allowed to fish without an angling license as long as they fish with one rod and use of the types of bait designated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature and Food Quality (Ministerie van Landbouw, Natuur en Voedselkwaliteit, LNV).

New regulations for 2007

During 2006 some organisations have issued the Rod Licence together with the Permit (Vergunningen). As from 2007 these will automatically be combined creating a Comprehensive Permit (Grote Vergunning) and the intension is to create a single credit card-sized document, the VISpas.

• Detailed information on the VISpas: Click here (in Dutch)
• Further information: Click here (in English)

Restrictions

Permissible bait is:

• bread, potato, dough, cheese, corn and seeds
• worms and prawns
• insects and larvae (maggots) and imitations maximum size limit of 25mm

Fishing with any other bait or multiple rods requires a fishing permit.

From April 1 until the last Saturday of May use certain types of bait is prohibited across the Netherlands:

• worms (or imitation worms) and offal
• live or dead bait fish, a chunk of fish (irrespective of its size)
• any type of artificial bait or lure apart from artificial flies smaller than 25mm 

Night fishing

Night fishing is allowed across the Netherlands on most stretches of water from 1 June through 31 August. For the remainder of the year, angling is not permitted from two hours after sunset until one hour before sunrise.

The LNV has exempted some waters from these regulations and night fishing is not allowed at any time on Lake IJsselmeer and the open harbours bordering it. The permit issued by the owner of the fishing rights will provide further information.

Closed season

There are closed seasons for certain species of fish. If any such fish is caught during the closed season, it should be released, unharmed immediately in the same stretch of water in which it was caught.

Closed season	Species
whole year	sea trout, salmon
1 October to 31 March	brown trout, char, brook trout
1 March to 30 June	pike
1 April to 31 May	barbel, chub, dace, nose carp, ide, grayling
1 April to last Saturday in May	perch, zander

Endangered and protected fish

Certain species are protected by Dutch conservation or endangered species laws. It is forbidden to fish (catch or use an angling technique that is known to specifically target) the following species:

• Spotted bleak, brook lamprey, lampern, stone loach, bitterling, minnow, sheatfish, large and small gudgeon, bullhead, sturgeon, catfish and houting.

If one of these species is caught by accident, it should be released immediately in the same stretch of water in which it was caught. Likewise if the fish caught is smaller than the size limit for that species, it should be released unharmed immediately in the same stretch of water in which it was caught.

If the fish cannot be identified, it is best to release it.

Keep restrictions

Grass carp should always be released as the species has a role in controlling under water vegetation. Stocking grass carp may only take place with permission of the Ministry of Agriculture, Nature Management and Fisheries.

Special types of tackle

A peur is a hookless line, usually connected to a stick, to holds a clump of worms on a length of wool. This type of tackle is used for specialised eel fishing. A peur license is needed in addition to other permits as the other documents. There is a limit on the number of peur permits issued. 

Further Information

Sportvisserij Nederland
At: Leijenseweg 115, Postbus 162, 3720 AD Bilthoven 
Tel: 030 605 8400 
Fax: 030 603 9874
e-mail
Website

Any suggestions for extra information that should be on this page?
Just fill in the form to tell us:

^ Top of Page ^