Pocket guide for recreational fishing in Estonia
Dear Fisherman! In Estonia, recreational fishing is becoming popular with more and more people. In recent years, recreational fishing rights have been bought about 81 to 90 thousand times. The number of acquired fishing cards in the year 2015 was 17,571 or 3% more than in 2014 and 11% more than in 2013. Approximately one seventh of those fishing in Estonia are tourists from other countries and more than one fifth of fishers are women. The growing number of fishers is a positive sign, which allows us to expect the improvement of public health as well as taking greater care for nature. On the other hand, it constantly increases the pressure on fish resources, the most valuable and restricted natural resource. Everyone wants to take home some catch. The so-called catch-and-release fishing has by now been adopted only by the more informed fishers, but is becoming more and more accepted. Catch-and-release fishing may have a positive effect on the sustainability of our fish resources. Fishing methods that spare the resources and proper compliance with rules are very important if we wish to enjoy fishing in the future, too. Therefore, knowing the rules is a necessary prerequisite. And this is also the aim of this pocket guide – to provide help and guidance to the readers. This pocket guide will introduce the provisions of the law regulating fishing in the
Republic of Estonia and the system of recreational fishing. The Fishing Act of Estonia, the Fishing Rules, and regulations of the Minister of Environment establishing temporary requirements are bulky documents and this guide covers only the most important and more general information. Besides, the provisions of law and regulations change from time to time. Therefore, it is always good to make sure before going to fish that there are no restrictions to the fishing methods you wish to use in the area or the water body you intend to go to. More information can be found in the following sources: OO Ministry of Environment (envir.ee/kalandus) – possibilities for recreational fishing and charges for fishing rights. OO Riigi Teataja (riigiteataja.ee) – Fishing Act, Nature Conservation Act, Water Act, Fishing Rules, temporary restrictions applying to recreational fishing, other legal acts. OO Eesti Kalastajate Selts (Estonian Recreational Fishing Association, kalastajateselts.ee) OO Lõuna-Eesti kalastajate klubi (South-Estonian Fishers’ Club, kalastusinfo.ee) In this pocket guide, pages with green edges contain the rules which apply equally to all fishers who fish under the right to fish by line, recreational fishing rights, and commercial fishing rights. The pages marked with blue provide information related to recreational fishing right and the orange pages contain information related to the right to fish on the basis of a fishing card.
I Line fishing In Estonia, everyone is permitted to fish free of charge with one simple hand line. No fishing license or any document is required for that. However, permitted fishing times and places, also other restrictions have to be followed.
A simple hand line consists of a rod, a line of the length of up to 1.5 lengths of the rod, and a single-pronged hook. The hand line may be equipped with a weight and a floater, and only natural bait may be used for fishing with it. It is permitted to fish on most water bodies in Estonia. However, there are some restrictions – for fishing on privately owned water bodies not designated for public use, for example, the owner’s consent is required. More information on water bodies can be obtained from a local environmental service or from Regulation No. 116 of 8 March 2012 of the Government of Estonia “Approving the list of water bodies designated for public use”. Below, some relevant extracts from Estonian legal acts have been presented which
regulate being in nature. Within the limited management zones of shores and banks (200 meters on the shores of the sea, Lake Peipus (Est. Peipsi), Lake Lämmijärv, Lake Pskov (Est. Pihkva) and Lake Võrtsjärv, 100 meters on the banks of (artificial)lakes with an area of more than 10 hectares and rivers with a catchment area of more than 25 km2, 50 meters for the others), driving power-driven vehicles outside designated roads and driving all-terrain vehicles is prohibited, except for transportation of a water craft needed for fishing activities by a person holding the right to fish (section 37 of the Nature Conservation Act). The possessor of an immovable property located on a shore or bank of a water body designated for public use (see section 37 of the General Part of the Environmental Code Act) must allow everyone to use the shore or bank for moving or staying by the water body (section 38 of the General Part of the Environmental Code Act). A foot bridge, bridge or any other structure is not considered part of a shore or bank path, but it is allowed to be there if the owner has not restricted access to it or marked it correspondingly. In the case of a flat shore or bank, the width of the shore or bank path is calculated from the average waterline and, in the case of a steep shore or bank, from the upper edge of the shore or bank slope, considering also the strip of land between the waterline and the upper edge of the slope of the shore or bank as the shore or bank path.
The width of the shore or bank path is: OO 10 metres in the case of navigable water bodies; OO 4 metres in the case of other water bodies; OO a strip of 2 metres from the waterline if the shore or bank path is flooded (subsections 38 (2) and (3) of the General Part of the Environmental Code Act). Water crafts with an internal combustion engine may be used on the lakes with an area of more than 100 hectares and on the rivers with a width of more than 10 metres. The permitted speed limit is generally 30 km/h (Requirements for keeping and using water crafts, sections 2 and 3).
When and where is fishing not permitted?
In order to retain recovering capacity of fish resources, several restrictions have been set on fishing, of which a detailed and updated overview can be found in current legal acts. Below, some of the most important restrictions have been provided which a wider range of fishers should know. In the sea, fishing is prohibited in the mouth areas of most rivers. All year round, fishing is not allowed nearer than 1,000 metres of the mouths of the rivers Kunda, Selja, Loobu, Valgejõgi, Jägala, Pirita, Keila, Vääna, Vasalemma, Punaba, Purtse, and Veskijõgi.
Between 1 September and 31 October, the restricted area is extended to 1,500 metres on the rivers of Purtse, Kunda, Selja, Loobu, Valgejõe, Pirita, Keila, Vääna and Vasalemma. Autumn fishing is prohibited closer than 500 metres to the mouths of all other spawning water bodies of Salmonidae (in some water bodies from 15 August to 31 December, in others from 1 September to 30 November). From 1 March to 31 May, fishing only with a simple hand line and hand line is permitted closer than 500 metres to the mouth of many watercourses (see Annexes 2, 3, 4 of the Fishing Rules). The mouth of a watercourse, where a pier extending the watercourse has been constructed, is the area between the sea ends of the pier. All year round, fishing is prohibited in the Bay of Pärnu in the area of the width of 500 metres westwards from the pier of the right bank of the River Pärnu (looked downstream) and in the area bordering with the left bank pier of the River Pärnu, the shoreline and the imaginary line starting at the point with the coordinates 58º22,291’N, 24º30.300’E, passing the point with the coordinates 58º21.600’N, 24º29.700’E and extending to the end of the pier. From 15 April to 15 July, fishing is prohibited in the region of Madalmurru, that is in the area of Uulu shallow which borders with the coastline and the imaginary line starting at the point with the coordinates 58º20.537’N, 24º33.810’E and extending through the points with the coordinates 58º18.9’N, 24º29.9’E and 58º20.990’N, 24º33.391’E. Several spring and autumn restrictions also apply in the area of the Sea Väinameri.
In Lake Peipus, Lake Lämmijärv and Lake Pskov, fishing is prohibited: OO all year round closer than 200 metres to the border line of the Republic of Estonia and the Russian Federation on Lake Peipus and closer than 50 metres on Lake Lämmijärv and Lake Pskov; OO from 5 May to 10 June within the area south to the line which connects the northern end of the canal of Ojapera (58º24,162’ N, 27º19,175’ E) and the point with coordinates 58º24,290’N, 27º31,100’E, extending to the border line of the Republic of Estonia and the Russian Federation, except for fishing with simple hand lines and hand lines; OO from 5 May to 10 June with underwater fishing gear in Lake Pskov; OO from 1 May to 15 June westward of the line connecting the mouth of the River Koosa (58º27,165’ N, 27º14,673’ E) and the north end of the canal of Ojapera (58º24,162’ N, 27º19,175’ E).
Please inform immediately of all violations of rules – use of fishing gear which is not properly marked or fishing during closed seasons or in closed areas, poaching, pollution, etc., by calling the round the clock emergency phone of the Environmental Inspectorate: 1313. This way, you help to ensure the well-being of our fish resources and more fishing opportunities for yourself. Rescue Service: phone 112.
In other internal water bodies
Except for crayfish and lamprey, fishing is prohibited all year round in the rivers of Vainupea, Riguldi, Punabe, Tirtsi, Vanajõgi, Lemmejõgi, Rannametsa (incl. Timmkanal), Kloostri, Leisi, Poama, Õngu, Veskijõe, Risti, Soonda, Möldri, Pihlajõe, Priivitsa, Kolga and Häädemeeste, and the brooks of Mägara, Kongla, Küda, Karepa, Koolimäe, Kurdla, Kuusalu, Kaberla, Kadaka, Treppoja, Männiku, Loode, Udria and Jämaja as well as the ditch of Katesoo. All year round, fishing is prohibited up to 100 metres downstream from waterfalls, in fish ladders and also closer than 50 metres upstream from them, and in the following river sections: OO in Pärnu River – 500 metres from the dam of Sindi; OO in Kunda River – from the river mouth to the first dam of the hydroelectric power plant; OO in Vasalemma River – from the dam of Vanaveski to the river mouth; OO in Pada River – from the bridge of Pärna Village to the river mouth; OO in Toolse River – from the water inlet of Aru mine to the river mouth; OO in Selja River – from the bridge of Arkna to the river mouth; OO in Mustoja River –from the dam of the artificial lake of Vihula Manor to the river mouth; OO in Altja River – from the dam of Oandu to the river mouth;
OO in Võsu River – from the dam of Laviku to the river mouth; OO in Loobu River – from the dam of Joaveski to the river mouth; OO in Valgejõgi River – from the dam of Kotka to the river mouth; OO in Pudisoo River – from the bridge of Tallinn-Narva road to the river mouth; OO in Loo River – from the dam of Loo to the river mouth; OO in Keila River – from Keila Falls to the river mouth; OO in Vääna River – from the terraces of Vahiküla to the river mouth; OO in Purtse River – from the dam of Sillaoru the river mouth; OO in Nõva River – from the bridge of Tusari-Vaisi road to the river mouth; OO in Veskijõgi River – from the bridge of Harju-Risti-Riguldi road to the river mouth; OO in Piusa River – from Kivioja mouth to the bridge of Tartu-Pechory road; OO in Vaidva River – from the dam of Vastse-Roosa to the river mouth; OO in Peetri River – full extent; OO in Pühajõgi River – from the mouth of the brook of Mägara to the river mouth. As an exception, the Minister of Environment may give permission for fishing in the listed river sections on the basis of a fishing card with spinning reels or fly hooks equipped with a lure or jig, except for 100 metres downstream of the dam and in the rivers of Pärnu, Kunda, Vasalemma, Keila, Piusa, Vaidva, Peetri, and Pühajõgi.
In the following rivers and brooks, fishing with simple hand lines, hand lines, bottom lines, underwater gear and unanchored trimmers is prohibited all year round: Preedi, Võllinge, Oostriku, Esna, Vodja, Sõmeru, Jäni, Hilba, Vahujõgi, the main ditch of Palu – full extent; Prandi – from the mouth to the bridge of Tori; Kunda – from the headspring to the mill dam of the stronghold; Selja – from the headspring to the bridge of Arkna; Pärnu – from the mouth of the River Vodja to the mouth of the River Reopalu; Ahja – from the headspring to the dam of Koorvere; Peeda − from the artificial lake of Suure-Kambja to the falling into the River Porijõgi; Pühajõgi – from the bridge of TallinnNarva road (near the Voka crossroads) to the falling the brook of Mägara.
Fishing with pole splashing, electricity, toxic or narcotic substances, stabbing tools (except for recreational underwater fishing), hooking tools, firearms, and explosives is prohibited everywhere. Also, it is prohibited and punishable to use, own, manufacture, store, transfer and transport any means for fishing by electrical current.
Areas temporarily closed for fishing
OO From the mouth of the River Emajõgi to the beginning of the River Koosa – from 1 May to 15 June; OO In cutoffs and oxbows of the River Emajõgi from the mouth of the River Pedja to the road bridge of Kärevere – from 1 April to 30 June; OO In the Narva River upstream from Narva Reservoir and in water bodies falling to the Narva River, cutoffs and oxbows upstream from Narva Reservoir – in ice free water from 15 March to 15 May; OO In the section of Naelavere main ditch connecting Lake Lahepera and Lake Peipus (Lahe River); in the rivers of Koosa, Kargaja, Agali, Kalli and Kaevandu, in the canal connecting Lake Leegu and the River of Kalli, in the River of Ahja from the mouth to Lake Ahijärv, also in the lakes of Ahijärv, Võngjärv, Koosa (in Tartu County), Lahepera, Kalli, Keeri and Leegu – from 1 May to 25 May; OO In Mullutu bay – from 1 April to 20 May; OO From 15 September to 31 December, in the following rivers: OO Pärlijõgi in Võru County – full extent; OO Võhandu – from Lake Jõksi to Lake Vagula; OO Peeli – from the falling of Kolga brook to the river mouth;
OO In the River of Nasva, only recreational fishing (except with long lines) is allowed from 1 April to 31 May.
Which fish and when may be caught?
Almost all of the known 75 fish and Cyclostomata species naturally occurring in Estonia may be caught. However, it is fully prohibited to catch the endangered species, namely the sturgeon, sheatfish, asp and grayling. Fish of the above species, undersized fish of other species and fish caught during prohibition period must be removed from fishing gear carefully and released into the water. This should be done with wet hands so as to reduce the risk of harming the fish mucosa which protects the fish from microbes. It is prohibited to catch: salmon and sea trout in internal water bodies from 1 October to 30 November. As an exception, on the basis of a fishing card fishing with spinning reels or fly hooks is allowed in the rivers of Narva, Selja, Jägala, Pirita, Vääna, Purtse and Valgejõgi; brown trout from 15 September to 31 January; whitefish in the River Pärnu from 15 October to 15 November; Lake Peipus whitefish from 20 October to 20 November; vendace in ice free water from 1 May to 1 July and from 10 November to 30 December;
pike in ice free water from 15 March to 10 May, except in Lake Võrtsjärv and the sea; pike in ice free water of Võrtsjärv from 15 March to 15 April (may differ from year to year); pike in the sea from 1 March to 30 April; bream from 1 May to 20 June, except in Võrtsjärv and when fishing with simple hand lines, hand lines and bottom lines; tench from 20 June to 20 July, except with simple hand lines, hand lines and bottom lines. In the lakes of Endla and Sinijärv, it is not allowed to catch tench with any fishing gear from 1 April to 20 July; vimba in the rivers of Kunda, Selja, Loobu, Valgejõe, Jägala, Pirita, Vääna, Keila, Vasalemma, Vihterpalu, Kasari (together with its branches), Paadrema, Audru, Pärnu, Sauga and Reiu from 10 May to 20 June; pike perch in ice free water from 15 April (in Võrtsjärv from 15 May) to 15 June; pike perch in the sea from 15 May to 15 July (may differ from year to year); grayfish from 1 September to 31 July. Grayfishing is only allowed on the basis of a fishing card and the fishing period may vary from year to year (see chapter “Fishing card”). In all salmon rivers walking along the river bottom and recreational fishing by wading in water is prohibited during the salmon fishing prohibition period, except in the River
of Narva and when catching lamprey. Regardless of the above, in Lake Peipus, Lake Lämmijärv and Lake Pskov, it is not allowed to fish: vendace from 21 August to 20 June; Lake Peipus whitefish from 1 November to 30 November; pike from 15 April to 15 May; bream, except with (simple) hand lines, from 5 May to 10 June (may differ from year to year); tench, except with (simple) hand lines, from 20 June to 20 July; pike perch from 5 May to 10 June (may differ from year to year); burbot from 10 January to 10 February.
Staying on a body of water or in a limited management zone on the shore thereof with fishing gear is deemed to be equal to fishing. On artificial lakes, similar restrictions apply as on the watercourse where the artificial lake is located.
Minimum sizes of fish
In the table below, the minimum permitted lengths of caught fish have been provided. The length may be measured in two ways, either from the top of the snout (mouth closed) to the beginning of the central beams of the caudal fin (I) or to the end of the caudal fin (L). The fish is considered to be in size if at least one of the measures is equal to or larger than the minimum size. The length of crayfish is measured from the tip of its rostrum to the end of the telson (excl. the hair). Species Perch Eel
Pike Brown trout Pike perch
Waters where the minimum size applies sea sea and rivers flowing into the sea lakes Võrtsjärv, Peipus, Pskov other inland water bodies sea, until end of 2016 lakes Peipus, Pskov, Lämmijärv, other internal water bodies (in the sea from 2017) Lake Võrtsjärv
l, cm 16
40 32 39 40
L, cm 19 35 55 50 45 36 45 46
45
51
Species Bream Plaice
Tench Burbot Salmon Sea trout Vendace Whitefish Ide Cod Vimb Crayfish
Waters where the minimum size applies lakes Peipus, Pskov, Lämmijärv and rivers of Suur-Emajõgi and Väike-Emajõgi subregion 28, no limits for fishing with simple hand line subregions 29 and 32, no limits for fishing with simple hand line
l, cm 30
21 18 25
sea and rivers flowing into the sea other water bodies sea and rivers flowing into the sea no limits for fishing with simple hand line
L, cm 35
55 10 30 35 32 26 11
30 40 60 50 12 35 40 38 35 30
Depending on the state of fish resources, the Minister of Environment may change the minimum size for Lake Peipus, Lake Lämmijärv or Lake Pskov.
II Recreational fishing Fishing with the following sport fishing gear is allowed on the basis of the recreational fishing right: more than one simple hand line, hand line, spinning reel, troll line, pulling device, fly hooks, bottom lines, unanchored trimmers, Baltic herring hook, and for underwater fishing a harpoon gun and up to five-prong harpoon. The requirements applying to fishing gear generally permit the use of up to three hooks on one rig and up to ten hooks on the hook line for Baltic herring, whereas the troll may have up to three three-pronged hooks. More detailed descriptions of fishing gear are provided in the Fishing Rules (sections 4 and 5). It is prohibited to: OO use autonomous breathing equipment and artificial lighting for underwater fishing; OO use a harpoon without a harpoon gun for underwater fishing, except for catching plaice or turbot; OO use a line trap for dredging. Dredging is a purposeful operation for hooking of fish outside the mouth. In addition to the restrictions provided in the chapter on fishing by line, the following rules
must be observed. From 1 September to 30 November, it is not allowed to fish by spinning reels and fly hooks in the River Narva from Narva Hydroelectric Power Plant to the road bridge, in the River Jägala from the dam of Linnamägi to the river mouth and the River Pirita from the dam of Vaskjala to the end of the pier in the river mouth, except on the basis of a fishing card. In the River Avijõgi from the headspring to the bridge of Vadi, in the River Umbusi form the headspring to the bridge in Umbusi, in the River Loobu from the headspring to the dam of Joaveski (except for the artificial lakes of Kadrina and Loobu), in the River Valgejõgi from the headspring to the dam of Kotka (except for the artificial lake of Vahakulmu) and the River Pada from the headspring to the bridge of Pärna, it is only permitted to use spinning reels and fly hooks with artificial baits. Up to three similar or different fishing devices may be used simultaneously for recreational fishing, except for the fishing gear for which a fishing card is required (see “Fishing card”). Baltic herring hooks may only be used for fishing on the sea.
It is prohibited to sell or buy fish caught during recreational fishing or line fishing.
Only active fishing is allowed with recreational fishing gear, which means that the fisher must stay near the gear (except entangling net, long line, crayfish trap and trap nets used on the basis of a fishing card) and be available to the supervising person on the spot, otherwise the person performing supervision has the right to remove the fishing gear. It is not allowed to fish closer than 25Â m to entangling nets and fykes. Recreational fishing rights can be obtained for a charge. There are three options for acquiring the recreational fishing right: mobile payment, online payment, direct purchase. To prove the right to fish it is sufficient to show identity document to the inspector.
Charges for fishing rights are as follows 24 h − € 1; 7 days − € 3; 6 months − € 13; 12 months − € 20
Mobile payment
✆
Enter 1322*ticket code*personal identification code and press . Listen to the instructions. To confirm the payment, press *. Persons without Estonian ID codes may obtain fishing rights by entering their date of birth following the format: 0aakkpp0000, wherein aa denotes the year of birth, kk denotes the month and pp the day of birth. The codes for mobile payment are as follows: 1 day 400 1 week 401 6 months 402
12 months 403
Always use the ID code of the person for whose fishing right you pay. After mobile payment, you receive an SMS message confirming the start and the end of the acquired recreational fishing right (except for a one-day license). The fishing right comes into force one hour after making payment. To mobile payments, fees for the service and notification in the amount of 0.51 euro will be added. For more information on mobile payment possibilities see www.envir.ee/harrastuspuugioiguse-tasu.
Online payment
... can be made on the web page pilet.ee. To purchase the fishing right, select from the menu “Tickets” > “Other” > “Recreational Fishing License”, select the type of the fishing license you wish to buy, and from there proceed to making the payment.
Direct purchase
... is possible in the service offices of Omniva. Recreational fishing right is free of charge for pre-school children, students under 16 years of age, pensioners, unlawfully repressed persons and disabled persons. Privileged persons, with the exception of pre-school children, have to carry a document certifying the privilege – a student card, pension certificate, repressed person’s certificate, documents certifying the degree of disability and duration thereof. NB! The privileges do not apply to the fishing card.
III Fishing card There are fishing sites in Estonia and some fishing methods which may only be used by persons having a fishing card. On the basis of a fishing card, entangling nets, long lines consisting of up to 100 hooks, hoopnets, dragnets, crayfish dip-nets and traps, and trap-nets may be used (Fishing Rules sections 4, 6-8). The fishing card also gives the right to fish Salmonidae on some rivers and fish on some water bodies within nature conservation areas. In detail, the rights granted by the fishing card, including the water bodies where fishing is allowed to the holders of a fishing card, are established by the Regulation of the Minister of Environment “Temporary fishing restrictions, charges for recreational fishing rights and limit numbers of fishing cards�, which is issued each year. It is important to know that in many cases (for fishing with nets and long lines, catching grayfish, fishing within nature conservation areas), the number of issued fishing cards is limited. The cards are issued based on the chronological order of submitting the applications. Submission of applications starts on the first working day of the December preceding the fishing year, except for the applications for catching crayfish, which may be submitted as of the first working day of July of the fishing year.
One fishing card gives the right to use one fishing device, for catching crayfish up to five dip-nets or traps. The charges for fishing cards differ by areas (see the table below).
During fishing, the frequency of checking the traps must prevent the spoilage of the catch in the trap. Fishing with entangling nets is restricted in several places and at different times. For example, fishing cards are not issued for fishing in internal water bodies, except for Lake Peipus, Lake Pskov and Lake Lämmijärv from 15 March to 31 May, for Lake Võrtsjärv to 31 August. The allowed mesh size also differs greatly depending on the area, fishing time and species of fish. For example, the minimum mesh size of 130 mm is allowed when fishing on Lake Võrtsjärv, whereas on the other internal water bodies, it is generally 60 mm. Each year, however, there are also exceptions to this rule. The length of a single entangling net is deemed to be 70 metres, but on the internal water bodies of Jõgeva and Tartu counties, the maximum length of an entangling net is up to 35 metres. For fishing with long lines, fishing cards are issued for a 7-day period from 1 March to 31 October, but not for all water bodies.
For fishing with a harpoon gun and a harpoon, a fishing card is required for the lakes of Kuremaa and Saadjärv. The same card gives the right to fish on both lakes. For fishing salmon and sea trout with spinning reels and fly hooks, cards are issued that apply for both species in the following rivers to the indicated extent: OO Pirita, from the dam of Vaskjala to the river mouth between 1 September and 14 October and between 16 November and 30 November; OO Jägala, from the dam of Linnamägi to the river mouth between 1 September and 30 November; OO Valgejõgi, from the dam of Kotka to the river mouth between 1 January and 14 October and between 16 November and 31 December; OO Selja, from the bridge of Arkna to the bridge of Rutja-Karepa between 1 January and 14 October and between 16 November and 31 December; OO Narva, from the hydroelectric power plant to the river mouth between 1 September and 30 November; OO Vääna, from the terraces of Vahiküla to the river mouth between 1 January and 14 October and between 16 November and 31 December; OO Purtse, from the dam of Sillaoru to the river mouth between 1 January and 14 October and between 16 November and 31 December.
In these periods and places, the size of the bait may be up to 18 cm and the gap between the point and the shank of the hook must not be wider than 12 mm. Up to two fish may be caught within 24 hours, except in the rivers of Narva and Jägala. On the trout rivers and brooks of Central Estonia, where fishing is otherwise prohibited, a single fishing card gives the right to fish with a spinning reel and a fly hook in Jõgeva, Lääne-Viru and Järva counties or in the indicated sections: Onga, Preedi, Vahujõgi, Norra, Oostriku, Võlingi (Võllinge), Esna, Palu main ditch, Vodja, Pärnu – from the mouth of the Vodja River to the mouth of the Reopalu River, Prandi – from the headspring to the bridge of Tori, the Neeva Canal, Navesti. Crayfish may everywhere be caught only on the basis of a fishing card and due to the state of grayfish resources, in the recent years it has only been allowed in August. For fishing with hoopnets and dragnets, licenses are issued for the period between 1 June and 31 August, except for the lakes smaller than 10 hectares, watercourses, Lake Võrtsjärv, Lake Peipus, Narva Reservoir, and water bodies located in the special management zones of protected areas. For fishing with trap nets, licenses are issued for 24 hours for fishing on several lakes from 21 July to 30 November.
In nature conservation areas, fishing is only allowed on the basis of fishing cards in Silma Nature Reserve, Matsalu National Park and on the lakes of Endla and Sinijärv in Endla Nature Reserve. Fishing times, places, allowed fishing tackles and in some places also the number of issued cards may vary. In all water bodies, it is not allowed to: OO except in Lake Võrtsjärv, block with fishing nets more than 1/3 of the width of any water body, bay or strait, of the flow area between the islands (shallows) in the watercourses, and of Lake Lämmijärv within the territorial water of Estonia. Free passage has to be ensured at the deepest part of the cross-section, and at the shipping route on Lake Lämmijärv; OO use any static gear without proper signs or marking; OO to fix any structures to the net traps which may decrease the mesh size of the collecting part of the net below the required degree. Underwater fishing with harpoon guns and harpoons is not allowed, also fishing with entangling nets, hoopnets and dragnets on the water bodies or some stretches listed in the Regulation of the Minister of Environment “The list of spawning areas or habitats of salmon, brown trout, salmon trout or grayling”. Underwater fishing is also prohibited in the artificial lake of Paide.
Applying for a fishing card and submission of catch data Fishing cards are issued by the Environmental Board. The easiest way to apply for a fishing card is to submit an application online at the address pilet.ee. For places where the number of cards is not limited, a fishing card can be bought by mobile payment in the same way as paying for the recreational fishing right (excl. for fishing with trap nets). For fishing on the basis of a fishing card, it is obligatory to submit catch data within
Kalastuskaardi tasud ja mobiilimakse koodid Region Allowed Baltic Sea Baltic Sea Lakes Peipus, Pskov, Lämmijärv and other internal water bodies Lakes Peipus, Pskov, Lämmijärv and other internal water bodies Võrtsjärv
fishing gear entangling net longline entangling net longline entangling net
five days after the expiry date of the fishing card and in the case of the cards issued for longer than one month, within five days after the end of each month. Catch data can be submitted online at the address pilet.ee or kala.envir.ee and to the Environmental Board by signing the data. The Environmental Board may refuse to issue a fishing card, if the applicant has, at some earlier time, failed to submit catch data or has violated any requirements provided for by laws which regulate fishing.
code
1 day
3 days
1 week
1 month 6,5−13
2 6,5−13 2 13
season
Region Allowed Lakes Võrtsjärv, Kuremaa, Kaiavere, Vagula, Saadjärv Small lakes Internal water bodies Lakes Kuremaa and Saadjärv Fishing salmon and sea trout on rivers
fishing gear longline trap nets dragnet, hoopnet harpoon gun and harpoon
Central-Estonian trout rivers
spinning reel, fly hooks
Silma Nature Reserve Strait of Suunja, Sutlepa sea Matsalu National Park
(simple) hand line, spinning reels, fly hooks, pulling devices (simple) hand line, pulling devices, spinning reels, fly hooks (simple) hand line, pulling devices, spinning reels, fly hooks dip-nets and traps
Endla Nature Reserve Endla and Sinijärv Crayfishing
NB! The charges for fishing cards provided in the table are for the year 2016 (in euros) and they may be changed in time. More detailed information is available on the web page of the Ministry of Environment: www.envir.ee
code
551 552 555 556 557 558 572
1 day
3 days
1 week 8
1 month
season
2 2 2 7 14 3 36 6 7
561
3 7 3
You may catch some fish with a small plastic label attached near the dorsal fin. The purpose of these labels is to study the migration of fish and ecology, and it is extremely important for the researchers to know the species, weight, length, sex of the labelled fish as well as the time and place the fish was caught and the fishing gear used for that. Please submit this information by e-mail (margis@rmk.ee) to the Fish Farm of PĂľlula or fill in the form here: www.rmk.ee/polula. For each returned label, you will receive 5.11 euros, a high-quality troll as a present, and a response letter with habitation data on young fish.
We hope that this pocket guide fulfils its aim to be your first guide on your fishing trip and also helps you check your knowledge or educate your fellow fishermen. Following the rules is important so as to ensure, for all of us, enjoyable moments on Estonian fishing waters in the future, too. Happy fishing! Ministry of Environment, Estonian Recreational Fishing Association Supported by Environmental Investment Centre