Permission to Fish
To fish in Dutch inland waters you need, according to Article 21 of the Fisheries Act 1963 (Visserijwet 1963), one of the following:
- you are the holder of the fishing right (owner of the fishery right, owner of the land under the water, or tenant of the fishing right); or
- you have written permission from the holder of the fishing right.
Most recreational anglers do not hold their own fishing right. Therefore most anglers fish on the basis of written permission from the rights holder. Often an angling club that rents the fishing rights grants this permission.
The permission must be in writing. An oral agreement or a statement on a website is not sufficient. Without valid written permission you are breaking the law.
From 1 January 2015 the permission information may also be available digitally. Paragraph 5 of Article 23 of the Fisheries Act 1963 sets this condition. The rights holder must make the digital data available for inspection and show it to an enforcement officer on first request. As a result, since 1 January 2015 the VISplanner together with the (plastic) VISpas is legally valid as permission for the waters included in the Joint List of Dutch Fishing Waters (Gezamenlijke Lijst van Nederlandse Viswateren).
The paper Joint List of Dutch Fishing Waters (+ supplementary lists) also remains valid together with the VISpas.
N.B. since 2007 a recreational angler no longer needs an additional deed besides the permission from the rights holder.
Legal requirements for the permission
Article 23 of the Fisheries Act 1963 prescribes which data a written permission must at least contain. The permission must be in clearly legible writing and must not be erasable. It must state at least:
- name, initials and place of residence of the rights holder and of the angler;
- name, initials, place of residence and date of birth of the angler;
- description of the water;
- description of the fishery for which the permission applies (conditions);
- date, validity period and cost of the permission.
If these data are on paper you have a legally valid written permission. If the data are digital, the rights holder must have made them available digitally for inspection and be able to show them on first request. Thus the VISplanner has counted as valid permission since 2015 in combination with the VISpas for listed waters.
Permissions to fish with one or more rods or with a "peur" do not have to be approved by the Chamber for Inland Fishery (Kamer voor de Binnenvisserij). Approval by the Chamber is required for other fishing gear, see Article 22, paragraph 6 of the Fisheries Act 1963.
Duty to show permission
You must show your permission on first request by an enforcement officer. If you do not show the permission you violate the rules and risk a fine. An enforcement officer may sometimes allow you to show the permission later, but that is at their discretion; you are not entitled to such a postponement.
Anglers with a VISpas or Small VISpas (Kleine VISpas) must on first request show both the pass and the associated list(s) of fishing waters. This is also stated in the general conditions accompanying these documents.
Former situation: sport fishing deed (until 1-1-2007)
Until 1 January 2007 there was the sport fishing deed (sportvisakte). With that deed you could fish in certain public (navigable) waters without permission from the rights holder with one rod and with bait species designated by the minister. This was called the “free rod.”
As of 1 January 2007 the legislator abolished the sport fishing deed. Since then, if you are not the rights holder you always need written permission from the rights holder, also in the former public waters.
Exceptions: youth, enclosed property
Some situations do not require written permission from the rights holder. For recreational anglers the following exceptions apply:
- youth under 14 years who fish with a maximum of one rod under the supervision of an adult who has the correct written permission;
- youth under 14 years who fish during an event organized by the rights holder (e.g. a youth fishing day);
- fishing in water within an enclosed private property without a fish-permeable connection to other water.
Ad 1
The law does not limit the number of youngsters an adult may supervise. One adult may supervise several youngsters under 14. The youngsters then do not need their own permission.
The adult must genuinely supervise the youngsters while fishing. For example, if you have three rods out and a baby with you, you are not actively supervising that baby while fishing. The rules also apply to permitted bait types. If the supervisor fishes with a Small VISpas, they may only use the bait types listed in the Small List. The youngster may then also only fish with those bait types.
If the supervisor has a VISpas, they may fish with all permitted bait types. The youngster "fishes along" on that permission but may only use one rod. If a youngster wishes to fish without supervision or with two rods, they need their own written permission, for example a Youth VISpas (JeugdVISpas).
Ad 3
An enclosed water is not automatically an "enclosed private property". The Supreme Court ruled on 28 June 1985 that an enclosed private property usually refers to land with a residential destination.
VISpas
There are different written permissions. The most common permission is the VISpas together with one or more (paper or digital) lists of fishing waters. The VISpas together with these list(s) form the permission to fish in those waters with a maximum of two rods. The VISpas does not grant permission to fish with a peur; a separate permission is needed for that.
The VISpas is issued by angling clubs that are affiliated with the national umbrella organisation. These clubs annually provide their adult members with the VISpas as proof of membership. Your personal data and the name of your club appear on the pass. On the back the federation under which the club falls is stated.
The VISpas is accompanied by the booklet: Joint List of Dutch Fishing Waters. That list covers over 90% of Dutch inland waters. The list contains:
- waters that clubs exchange among themselves;
- waters that angling federations have included;
- waters that municipalities or other rights holders have had included.
The Joint List is published every three years. The edition shown applies per print run. You receive the current list with your VISpas and sometimes additional supplements.
Waters are printed on a white or blue background. A white background means any VISpas is valid. A blue background means you need a VISpas from a club that falls under that federation. A blue frame indicates that only members of a specific club may fish there.
If you are inspected, you must be able to show the VISpas and the list of fishing waters immediately. For this reason the Joint List states on the front: “When fishing you must, in addition to the VISpas, have the List of Fishing Waters with you and be able to show both upon inspection”. This obligation is also printed on the back of the VISpas.
Since 1 January 2015 the VISplanner together with the VISpas has been valid as permission for the waters in the Joint List.
Because angling clubs and federations together rent fishing rights on about 90% of inland waters and exchange many waters, the VISpas with the associated lists provides the correct written permission in almost 90% of cases.
Youth permit and Youth VISpas (JeugdVISpas)
Youngsters under 14 who want to fish without supervision or with two rods need their own written permission.
Many clubs issue a youth permit. This permit often limits the number of waters, bait types and the number of rods. With such a permit the youth may fish without supervision.
For full rights clubs issue a Youth VISpas. With the JeugdVISpas the youngster also receives the Joint List of Dutch Fishing Waters and possibly a club list. The Youth VISpas grants the same rights as the VISpas but at a lower price.
Provisional VISpas (temporary proof of membership)
If you join an affiliated club through an angling shop, you first receive a Provisional Proof of Membership (Voorlopig Bewijs van Lidmaatschap, VBL), also called a "temporary VISpas". The VBL is valid for one month. You receive the Joint List of Dutch Fishing Waters with it. If you send in the lower part of the VBL on time, you will receive the definitive VISpas within a month.
Joint List of Dutch Fishing Waters (structure)
The Joint List contains, per federation, a chapter with special conditions and a listing of waters. Pages 2 and 3 include general conditions. Pages 4 and 5 list designated bait types and rules for night fishing, shelters and a third rod. Pages 6 and 7 give codes of conduct. Pages 8 and 9 cover the most important legal rules.
The list clearly states whether the fishing right rests with a federation or a club. Use the list to check whether your VISpas is valid in the water where you want to fish.
Sea VISpas (ZeeVISpas)
Note: as of 1-1-2019 the Sea VISpas no longer exists. Read more on the original site.
The Veerse Meer and the Grevelingenmeer are included in the Joint List. Anyone with a VISpas may fish there and in a few places dig for lugworms (zeepieren).
Small VISpas (Kleine VISpas)
If you do not want to become a member of an angling club, you can buy the Small VISpas (Kleine VISpas). The Small VISpas together with the Small List of Fishing Waters form the written permission for those waters.
The Small VISpas usually allows one rod and a single single-hook. You may only fish with the designated bait types. These baits are listed in the Small List and include bread, dough, cheese, grains and certain larvae. Artificial lures, a dead small fish or a piece of fish are not permitted. With the Small VISpas you may not take fish home; eel (paling) must always be returned immediately.
The waters from the Small List are also available in the digital VISplanner. The VISplanner shows on a map where the Small VISpas is valid. The VISplanner is available as an app, a mobile site (m.visplanner.nl) and via www.visplanner.nl. Since 1 January 2015 the VISplanner together with the (paper) Small VISpas counts as valid permission.
Other and supplementary permissions
In addition to (Youth) VISpas and the Small VISpas there are other permissions:
Non-affiliated clubs
Some angling clubs are not affiliated with the national umbrella organisation. These clubs issue their own permission for their club waters. If that permission meets Article 23 of the Fisheries Act 1963, the permission is legally valid.
Municipalities, private owners and commercial fishermen
Municipalities, private owners and commercial fishermen cannot issue a VISpas. They can have their water included in the Joint List or issue written permissions themselves. If those permissions comply with Articles 21 and 23, they are legally valid.
Day or week permits
A rights holder can issue day or week permits. If the document meets Article 23 it is legally valid for the indicated period. A club can impose extra conditions, for example that in addition to the day permit you must also have a VISpas from another affiliated club.
Supplementary permission for three rods
The Fisheries Act does not specify a maximum number of rods. Usually you may fish with up to two rods, except with the Small VISpas where only one rod is allowed. A rights holder can grant extra permission to fish with three rods.
The national Third Rod Permission provided, from 1 January 2013, permission to fish with three rods on waters in the Joint List marked with the corresponding symbol. That permission consisted of a hologram sticker for the back of the VISpas. Orderers immediately received a provisional digital permission.
Addendum: night fishing and shelter
Since 1 October 2012 anglers are allowed to fish at night year-round in almost all waters, with the exception of twelve waters such as the IJsselmeer. Rights holders have additional responsibilities for night fishing.
The Sportvisunie and the federations developed a national Night Fishing Permission. That permission applies to waters in the Joint List with the night-fishing symbol. Always check the additional conditions for the specific water. The Night Fishing Permission used to consist of a hologram sticker and provided an immediate provisional digital permission upon order (prior to 2014).
Rules for the use of a shelter (small tent) are often included in the municipal General Local Regulation (APV). If the municipality allows the use of shelters, the rights holder can set extra conditions. Waters where a shelter is allowed are marked in the Joint List with the corresponding symbol.
Right of way (access to the bank)
Permission to fish does not automatically grant access to the adjacent land. Sometimes you may only fish from a boat because landowners do not allow access to their land. That permission to walk over someone's land is called the right of way (looprecht).
Check the conditions of your permission to see whether you also have the right of way. If you remain unsure, contact the angling federation or the club that holds the fishing right. They can clarify your rights at the water's edge.
If you have questions, always first contact your club or federation about permission to fish.