First pay the fisheries management fee
If you fish with a lure or traps or catch crayfish, for example with a spinning rod, net or trap, start off by paying the fisheries management fee. The fisheries management fee is a statutory general fishing fee, which is valid everywhere in Finland apart from Åland.
When you pay the fisheries management fee, you are entitled to fish with one lure, such as a single spinning rod, almost anywhere in the country. For using traps and catching crayfish you also need a fishing permit.
- To pay the fisheries management fee, visit the Eräluvat.fi service.
- See Kalastusrajoitus.fi for waters for which you need a separate fishing permit (in addition to paying the fisheries management fee), even if you only fish with one lure. The service also shows the waters in which all fishing is prohibited.
No fisheries management fee needs to be paid for hook and line fishing, ice fishing or using a simple herring rid. The fee also does not apply to you if you are aged under 18 or over 70 years, or if you turned 65 by 31 December 2023. You may still need a fishing permit, however.
Fishing permit is permission granted by the owner of the water area
In practice, a fishing permit is permission to fish granted by the owner of the water area. You will need a fishing permit for the following:
- fishing with more than one rod,
- fishing with a net or trap,
- catching crayfish,
- fishing in rapids and flowing waters, and
- for special sites where fishing is only permitted for holders of a separate fishing permit.
For rapids and flowing waters as well as the special sites, see Kalastusrajoitus.fi.
There are many ways to locate the owner of a water area:
- Permits for private waters are often sold by joint property management associations. You can, for example, search for them on Google. You can also search for their contact details on the Federation of Finnish Fisheries Associations’ Ahven.net service.
- To fish in state-owned waters, visit eraluvat.fi to buy a permit sold by Metsähallitus.