The evenings are getting lighter, and spring is very much upon us and this is the time of year that coarse fish up and down the country turn their attention to spawning. Adult fish will be spawning, or recovering from spawning, and emerging eggs and juvenile fish are also vulnerable. As a result, from 15 March to 15 June inclusive, the statutory coarse fish close season comes into place on rivers, streams, drains and some protected stillwaters and canals.
The three month close season is a vital time for coarse fish, and the break in angling activity allows them added protection. Being a fish at this time of year is quite an exhausting and stressful business, so any measures to protect them benefit fish populations now and into the future.
To help protect fish stocks our Fisheries Enforcement and Technical Officers, alongside Angling Trust volunteer bailiffs and the Police, will be patrolling river banks as part of Operation Clampdown. This is to ensure people aren’t fishing illegally where the close season applies. Anyone caught fishing on protected waters at this time could face a hefty fine. During last year’s close season, the Environment Agency carried out 933 close season patrols resulting in 106 close season offences and 203 other fishing related offences.
Dean Jones is a Fisheries Technical Officer in our Lincolnshire and Northamptonshire Area, covering the river Nene and Lincolnshire drains. He explains the importance of our enforcement work, especially during the close season.
“Protecting fisheries is hugely important to angling. It’s why I wanted to be a Fisheries Officer. I am a keen match angler and used to run my own fishery, so I am invested in fishing and have seen the sport from different sides.
“What I love about my work is that it allows me to help all those with an interest in angling and fisheries. I also have a role in enforcing fisheries laws, an essential part of my work and one I really enjoy.
“I particularly enjoy interacting with anglers on the bank and seeing first hand the benefits of fishing for mental health. I get the chance to explain how important it is to buy a fishing licence and love sharing examples of how fishing licence income helps maintain and improve our fisheries and angling.
“Over the coming months, I will be working with the Angling Trust Volunteer Bailiff Service (VBS) and local rural police forces to ensure the close season on rivers and streams is enforced.
“Please remember that the season is in place to give fish a chance to spawn and have plenty of time to recover, including delicate eggs and young fry. To do this effectively we rely heavily on reports from the public. If you see any incidents of illegal fishing or suspicious activity, you can report it to the Environment Agency 24-hour incident number on 0800 80 70 60.”
Finally, whilst the rivers are closed to fishing for the next three months, there are still plenty of opportunities to get out fishing on canals and stillwaters, but remember you’ll need a fishing licence. You can get yours here - Buy a rod fishing licence: Buy a rod fishing licence for England and Wales - GOV.UK
If you are new to fishing or are a returning angler and fancy giving it a go, the Angling Trust are running their ‘Spring into Fishing’ campaign throughout the close season.
16 comments
Comment by Ian Gregory posted on
Why is it only river fish that need this protection are lake and canal fish different.
Comment by Environment Agency posted on
Thanks for your comment.
While many of the species are the same, fish stocks and fishery management in canals and stillwaters are very different from those in rivers. The vast majority of stillwater fisheries are in single ownership, so a decision to relax or remove the close season will not affect other fisheries.
In contrast to most stillwaters and canals, river coarse fisheries exploit a shared resource which relies far less on direct fishery management interventions. In particular, they depend on natural spawning and naturally balanced fish communities, with very little or no supplemental stocking and stock manipulation. They are, as a result, more sensitive to pressures, which is why we adopted the precautionary principle and retained the close season on rivers when it was removed elsewhere.
In addition, rivers are also subject to many more pressures, including from water abstraction and discharge, run-off from surrounding land and flood risk management. In many heavily modified rivers, natural coarse fish spawning, at least for some species, is has become restricted to a few reaches and tributaries.
We held a public consultation in 2019 on whether the close season should continue. You can read the findings here - Coarse fishing close season on English rivers - report on public consultation.
Comment by Ian Andrew Miller posted on
That is true but weather conditions will influence when fish spawn and we all know that different species spawn at different times, outside of the current close season so the given statement doesn't actually work. How often do we see chub and barbel spawning when the season has re=started and dace and pike may well spawn before !! this is an outdate process that needs revising.
Comment by Kevin Sunderland posted on
My own understanding is that the EA opposed close seasons and that it was fishing clubs which asked for their retention. As a previous correspondent has remarked, there is no close season on still waters. If close seasons are so important, why are they not mandatory on still waters?
If the Environment Agency is so concerned about the welfare of fish, why are they retaining their flow measuring weirs on rivers? These devices prevent fish movement to optimum spawning sites, a very damaging impediment to spawning by both coarse fish and salmonids. They need replacing with equipment which is fish friendly.
The Humber District Plan of the Water Framework Directive promised the return of migratory fish to all Yorkshire rivers. One of the biggest culprits preventing this is the EA and the weirs which they own.
Comment by steven Gibson posted on
Stop the close season. Stop the weir flow measurements. Give fish a chance!
Comment by Rob Grant posted on
This publication does not make it clear enough that It must only be a three month ban on Course fishing and should not affect Salmon and Sea Trout fishing.
Comment by Steve Goff posted on
The old close season is now way out of date .And irrelavant .Fish caught are returned immediatly .Then why have a cxlose season .People want
to fish
Comment by Mick Innes posted on
Hi can you clarify the rules for fishing for trout on rivers during the coarse fishing closed season and how do you stand if you accidentally hook a coarse fish ?
Comment by Environment Agency posted on
This will vary from Area to Area and will be covered by Regional Byelaws National rod fishing byelaws for England: freshwater fishing with a rod and line - GOV.UK
For example in the Thames Region (part of the South East Regional Byelaws) you can fish for trout on rivers during the coarse close season as long as you use an artificial fly or lure).
If you catch a coarse fish by accident, whilst fishing for trout, then you simply put it back.
Comment by Don Walker posted on
When you purchase your fishing license it is for the year. ??
Comment by Dean posted on
The advice / answers above dont mention anything about being able to fish for trout and salmon on rivers after 1st April . So it is possible to go fishing in rivers April tgru June provided you are fishing for trout or do I have this wrong.
Comment by Steve Goff posted on
The close season was changed to enable still water fishing ,Simply cos commercial fisheries were getting around the law by stocking a few trout ( as well as coarse) & calling there waters an all method trout fishery .So the powers to be at the time didnt really have a choice.The old close season is now way out of date .And irrelavant If fish caught are returned immediatly .Then why have a close season .People want
to fish.
Comment by Ben posted on
Does this apply if it is saltwater fishing?
Comment by Environment Agency posted on
The statutory coarse fish close season applies to rivers, streams, drains and some protected stillwaters and canals.
Comment by Tony Stride posted on
So canals are still open for us?
Comment by Nik Stephens posted on
If the close season is for the welfare of fish then why are stillwaters and canals exempt, because the fish species are the same and they also spawn so this is clearly not for the welfare of fish, double standards ! 60 years a coarse angler.