Article 1 of the Fisheries Act 1963 (Visserijwet 1963) defines terms you need to know as a recreational angler. Here you can read what the law understands by fish, fishing and permitted fishing gear.
Fish
The minister designates the species that fall under “fish.” See Annex 1 of the Fisheries Implementing Regulations (Uitvoeringsregeling visserij). The designation applies to most fish species that occur or are imported into the Netherlands. Parts of designated fish, such as roe and spawn, are also considered “fish.”
Non-designated species are not “fish” according to the Fisheries Act 1963.
The Nature Conservation Act (Wet natuurbescherming) changed the protection of some species. Check the different protection regimes, for example for brook lamprey, spined loach and the great mud minnow: /vispas-visserijwet-en-regels-binnenwater-bescherming-vissoorten
Non-native species, such as pumpkinseed (sunfish) and some gobies, are not covered by the Fisheries Act 1963. They are also not always covered by the Nature Conservation Act.
More about fish species can be found here: https://www.sportvisserijnederland.nl/vis-water/vissoorten/
Fishing
Fishing means: putting fishing gear into the water, possessing it, lifting it or hauling it in. Fishing also includes attempting to obtain fish from the water, for example with your hands.
Releasing fish or fish spawn or sowing shellfish also counts as fishing. For non-designated species, there is a ban on release under art. 3.34 of the Nature Conservation Act.
Rod (Hengel)
A rod is a pole with a line or cord. The rod may or may not have a winding mechanism. You may use a maximum of three hooks. Those hooks can be single- to treble-pointed. The rod may also have floats (bobbers).
Peur
A peur is a line or cord without a hook. A quantity of worms is attached to that line as bait.
Other fishing gear
All other fishing gear may only be used by commercial fishers. The Regulations for Inland Fisheries 1985 (Reglement voor de binnenvisserij 1985) describe these fishing gears in articles 1 and 2: http://wetten.overheid.nl/BWBR0009027/geldigheidsdatum_24-11-2010
If a piece of gear does not meet the description of permitted gear, it is considered prohibited gear.
Landing net (Schepnet)
Since 1 October 2012 the landing net is included in the regulations as permitted gear. Use the landing net only to:
- scoop up or transfer caught fish; or
- catch fish, provided you return the caught fish alive and into the same water.
Bait
Some types of bait are legally prohibited. Article 4 of the Fisheries Implementing Regulations prohibits substances that stupefy, injure or kill fish. Examples:
- cockle beans
- tjoekvisje (a stun/poison bait)
- quicklime
- dynamite
- other poisonous, stupefying or explosive substances
It is also prohibited to fish with live fish or other live vertebrate animals. That prohibition is in article 1.18 of the Decree on Keepers of Animals (Besluit houders van dieren). That decree is based on the Animal Act (Wet dieren).
A water rights holder may include additional conditions in their permission. For example, they may allow only certain types of bait in their waters.
Inland fisheries
The Fisheries Act 1963 distinguishes three forms of fisheries:
- sea fisheries: fishing in the fishing zone and in waters designated as “sea area”;
- coastal fisheries: fishing in certain waters designated as “coastal waters”;
- inland fisheries: fishing in the remaining Dutch waters.
The broad definition of inland fisheries also includes water on private property. The Fisheries Act 1963 and the rules based on it also apply on private property, unless there is an explicit exception.
Maps of the boundaries of coastal waters, sea areas and the fishing zone can be found in the Joint List of Dutch Fishing Waters: https://www.sportvisserijnederland.nl/vispas/lijsten-van-wateren/
Use these terms when applying the rules from the Fisheries Act 1963.