Recreational fishing in Estonia
Depending on the fishing gear used, there are 3 types of recreational fishing differentiated.
1. Line fishing
Everyone is allowed to fish free of charge and without a special fishing permit with one simple hand line from sunrise to sunset on a water body belonging to the state and a local government or on a privately owned water body designated for public use, taking into account the restrictions set for permitted fishing seasons, areas and fish species.
2. Recreational fishing with up to three hook gears
One is allowed to use the following types of fishing gear: a spinning reel, trolling line, pulling device, fly hook, bottom line, krunda, trimmer, hand line and more than one simple hand lines, harpoon gun, harpoon, fish hook.
The user of the fishing gear must be able to present a document certifying payment for the right to fish for recreation or a payment cheque (except for persons who are not required to pay for the right to fish for recreation) along with a personal identification document.
The fees for rights to fish for recreation are the following:
1) one day - 15 kroons;
2) up to 1 week - 25 kroons;
3) up to 6 months - 120 kroons;
4) up to 12 months - 180 kroons.
One must pay for the right to fish for recreation as follows:
Recipient: Rahandusministeerium (Ministry of Finance)
Bank accounts (IBAN): EE821010220034800017 SEB
EE932200221023778606 Swedbank
Reference No: 2800077794
Explanation: "tasu harrastuspüügiõiguse eest (fee for the right to fish for recreation) and person's name and personal identification code or date of birth of the person who is paid for". The date when the fishing right becomes valid should be indicated as well (otherwise, it becomes valid on the day of paying the fee).
Attention! One payment order enables to pay for just one person.
Pre-school children, students under 16 years of age, pensioners, unlawfully repressed persons and disabled persons are not required to pay for the right to fish for recreation. The persons listed above must present the following documents certifying the benefit.
- students under 16 years of age - a student card
- pensioners - a pension certificate
- unlawfully repressed persons - a rehabilitation certificate or certificate of repression
- disabled persons - a document certifying the degree of disability
3. Fishing card
The following fishing equipment can be used on the basis of the fishing card: gillnet, bottom set long-line consisting of up to 100 hooks, dip-net and crayfish trap, sand, dragnet. In addition, the fishing card is required for catching salmon and sea trout in Pirita River, Jägala River, Selja River, Narva River, Vääna River, Purtse River and Valgejõe River; when catching river trout in the rivers of Järvamaa county and with a harpoon in Lake Saadjärv and Lake Kuremaa. Nature conservation areas where recreational fishing is allowed only with the fishing card are: Nature Conservation Area of Endla, Nature Conservation Area of Silma and National Park of Matsalu. Fishing cards are issued by the Environment Department in the location of the fishing water body. The fishing card is issued for a fee and their number is limited!
Additional information (in Estonian, Russian and English) at info@kalastusinfo.ee
Depending on the difficulty of the questions, answering can take up to 1-5 days.